Posterior Capsular Opacification or Secondary Cataract
Posterior Capsular Opacification of the intraocular lens 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.
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 posterior capsular opacity is done in the outpatient clinic with the use of laser called YAG laser capsulotomy. It is 5 minutes procedure with minimum complications.
With YAG laser capsulotomy, a hole will be made at the center of posterior capsular 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 drop 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 YAG Laser Capsulotomy, 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.
