YAG Laser Capsulotomy

Modern cataract surgery techniques successfully restore vision and help to improve the quality of life for the great majority of patients. Sometimes, months or years after cataract surgery, vision can once again become cloudy. Activities like reading, driving and watching television slowly become more difficult. This can be due to a condition known as opacification of the lens capsule. The lens capsule is the normally clear structure that holds the intraocular lens in place. If the lens capsule becomes cloudy it will block a clear picture from passing though the pupil of the eye. An opacified lens capsule can occur in about 30% of patients who have cataracts removed.

YAG laser capsulotomy is a simple and very safe outpatient procedure to open a cloudy lens capsule. Only anesthetic eye drops are necessary and the treatment takes just a few minutes. Most people notice improvement in vision within a single day. Occasionally eye pressure may rise as a result of the laser energy. For this reason we monitor our patients for about an hour after the treatment. There is also a very rare risk of retinal detachment and the doctor will check your retina about a week after the procedure. Once a cloudy lens capsule is opened by the laser, the condition typically cannot recur and the restored vision can be considered permanent.