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Here’s the good news: cataracts cannot grow back. Cataracts are a clouding of your natural lens which is completely removed during cataract surgery and is replaced with an artificial lens that is chosen specifically for your vision goals and the biology of your eyes.
Now, here’s the part you might not be thrilled to hear. Sometime between a few months and five years after cataract surgery, some patients start experiencing cataract-like symptoms: misty vision, halos, glare, difficulty driving at night. The technical term for this is a posterior capsular opacification (PCO), but it is often referred to as a secondary cataract because of the similarity in vision which it causes.
A posterior capsular opacification occurs when the lens capsule, the part of the eye that holds your lens in place, begins to cloud over like the lens did to cause a cataract. PCO occurs after cataract surgery and can be caused by a number of biological and environmental factors. They are hard to predict with precision, but easy to treat once diagnosed.
If you start experiencing vision difficulties like your cataract symptoms before surgery, give us a call. You may be developing a posterior capsular opacification. Our team will perform a complete visual exam to ensure that PCO is the root cause of your vision issues. If PCO is the cause, there is a simple and painless solution. The surgeon can perform a YAG capsulotomy as an outpatient procedure.
A YAG capsulotomy is a laser-based procedure, named for the elements used in the laser (Yttrium, Aluminum, and Argon). This laser is used to dissolve the lens capsule that has clouded over. If you have experienced cataract surgery, hopefully, your experience was like that of thousands of patients: a simple, outpatient procedure, with twilight anesthesia and a speedy recovery process. Although every surgery has its risks and outliers, the vast majority of cataract patients have a smooth surgical and recovery process.
YAG capsulotomies are even simpler than cataract surgery. After confirming your diagnosis of PCO and setting a date, you’ll come in for the procedure. The procedure is so quick and painless that no anesthesia is required. All the surgeon has to do is precisely aim a specially calibrated laser to connect with the lens capsule and use several well-placed connections of the laser to remove the clouded lens capsule from the field of view. Once the capsule has been sufficiently broken down, it falls out of the visual field, and the body naturally breaks down the remaining pieces with no pain or side effects. Because the body does this on its own, no blades, incisions, or surgical extractions are required. You can leave from the office, and your vision should return to normal by the end of the day!
If you are experiencing eye problems that affect your vision, schedule an appointment to talk with one of our surgeons and discover what options are best for you. We are one of the best providers of laser eye treatments in Midlothian, Texas and we offer a full suite of corrective vision procedures and solutions.
Call our team at 469-505-2020.
At Texas Eye and Cataract, we know how important it is to see life with clear vision. We understand that being your best means seeing your best.
At Texas Eye and Cataract, we know how important it is to see life with clear vision. We understand that being your best means seeing your best.
