Posterior Capsular Opacification



Submit your comment about Posterior Capsular Opacification at the bottom of the page






Posterior capsular opacity is also called secondary cataract.It is one of the most common complications after cataract surgery.

It usually occurs after weeks or months from the surgery. It is common complication and sometimes its incidence is related to the type of intraocular lens used.

There is opacity in the posterior part of the capsule or posterior part of the bag behind the intraocular lens. This opacity increases gradually with time. There is painless blurring of vision that also increases gradually with time as the opacity increases.




Posterior capsular opacity



Intraocular lens with posterior opacities in the form of multiple cysts which are called Elschnig Pearls.Patient complains of blurred vision and Glare.




Treatment of this condition is done in the outpatient clinic with the use of laser called YAG capsulotomy laser. It is 5 minutes procedure with minimum complications.




Yag Capsulotomy in patient with posterior capsule opacity


With YAG capsulotomy, a hole will be made at the center of posterior opacity in order for the light to pass through this hole to the back of the eye without interruption.




Before the procedure, your eye will be diluted with Cyclopentolate or Tropicamide Eye drops.

Anti-Glaucoma Eye drops should be used before the procedure, because sometimes the intraocular pressure can increase after this procedure.

Mild Corticosteroid Eye drops should also be used after this procedure for few days because this procedure will disturb the blood ocular barrier (Which prevent leakage of blood cells and white cells through walls of blood vessels) and increase anterior chamber inflammation.

After the procedure, your Eye doctor will measure your intraocular pressure(IOP) after 15 minutes, to make sure that your IOP is within normal range.

Accidentally, the intraocular lens can be scratched by the laser and most of the time these scratches will be visually insignificant but sometimes especially with inexperience doctor, there might be so many scratches on the lens or the lens got cracked by the laser and your vision can be significantly affected and the only way to treat that is by replacing the intraocular lens surgically with another new intraocular lens.





<<< Previous, Posterior Capsule Rupture

Retinal Detachment, Next >>>




Do You Have A comment or A question to ask about Posterior Capsular Opacification?

please share it with us!

Enter Your Title

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

1- Complications of Posterior Capsular Opacity  Not rated yet
Complications of posterior capsular opacity




Leave Posterior Capsular Opacification and go to HomePage










Cataracts SiteMap