Posterior capsular opacification
After cataract surgery clouding of the lens bag from the old lens may occur. Visual acuity will decrease again. You could compare this with a fogged window. Sometimes it is just folds in the bag producing the light (glare). This may wear off again under certain circumstances. It is best known to occur when driving in the dark. In both situations, this is called posterior capsular opacification.
Posterior capsular opacification is a harmless condition that can be corrected with laser treatment.
Treatment
A laser will “cut” an opening in the lens bag, allowing enough lightfall into the eye again. This treatment takes place at the outpatient clinic and is completely painless. Under normal circumstances, no specific complications are to be expected with laser treatment of the eye.
You do not have to prepare in any way for the treatment. On arrival at the clinic you will receive eye drops to dilate the pupil. When this drop is working, the ophthalmologist will perform the treatment.
The treatment is performed while you are seated behind the YAG laser. You will receive an anesthetic eye drop in the treated eye. A contact glass will be placed on the eye. The eye is treated while you focus on a fixation light with your other eye. The treatment does not take very long.
Because your pupil is dilated, it is advisable not to drive yourself.
After the treatment, you may see some moving particles in your field of vision (floaters). These are small crumbs from the lens bag. These generally disappear after a few days to weeks.
An alternative to this treatment is surgery, in which the bag of the lens is surgically removed. However, this is a much heavier procedure than laser treatment and is hardly ever performed anymore.
Posterior capsular opacification treatment is covered by health insurance.
