The president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) went through a cataract surgery on the left eye this Friday morning (30). The PT member arrived at the hospital for the procedure at around 7:20 am and left at 10 am.
A, safe and short-lived, especially common in older people. Lula, who is 80 years old, already underwent the same procedure in 2020, without any complications.
The president returned to Granja do Torto, one of the official residences in Brasília, where he is expected to spend the rest of the day.
How cataract surgery works
Cataracts occur when the crystalline lens, the natural lens of the eye, loses its transparency, causing blurred vision, difficulty seeing colors and greater sensitivity to light.
The condition is mainly associated with aging, but can also appear in people with diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
The procedure consists of removing the opacified lens, which is replaced by an artificial intraocular lens, capable of lasting a lifetime.
The surgery is performed under local anesthesia, on an outpatient basis, and the patient remains awake during the process. Recovery is usually quick, with a gradual return to daily activities, following medical advice.
President’s history
Since returning to the Presidency in 2023, Lula has undergone at least four medical procedures.
In September of that year, he underwent hip surgery to treat osteoarthritis. On the same occasion, taking advantage of the anesthesia, he underwent blepharoplasty, an aesthetic procedure to remove excess skin from the eyelids.
In October 2024, the president suffered a fall in the bathroom of the Palácio da Alvorada. Two months later, he underwent emergency surgery to treat internal bleeding in his brain.
Days later, he underwent a second complementary procedure, as explained by his doctor, Dr. Roberto Kalil, to reduce the risk of further bleeding.
Despite the recent history, the medical assessment of Lula’s health is considered positive. Kalil, who has followed the president for more than two decades, states that the PT member remains in good clinical condition, exercises regularly and has the capacity to contest the 2026 elections and serve a new term, if re-elected.
*With information from Lucas Teixeira and Giu Aya, from CNN Brasil
