Correcting Cloudy Vision After Surgery (Secondary Cataracts) - SightMD Skip to main content
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Can Cataracts Return After Surgery?

During cataract surgery, our ophthalmologists remove your clouded natural lens and replace it with an artificial one. They preserve the integrity of a transparent membrane called the lens capsule to support the new lens. In most cases, this capsule stays clear after the procedure.

Posterior capsule opacification occurs when certain residual cells grow on the back of the lens capsule. This cell growth causes the capsule to become somewhat opaque and hazy. As a result, light cannot travel through your eye properly.

What’s Posterior Capsule Opacity?

Posterior Capsule Opacification (PCO) occurs when the membrane known as the posterior capsule becomes cloudy. This capsule previously housed your eye’s natural lens and now secures the intraocular lens. PCO may manifest symptoms similar to a cataract, such as blurry or cloudy vision and sensitivity to light. Because of the changes to your eyesight, PCO can make it seem like your cataract has come back.

Once a cataract has been removed, it cannot return. When people mention a secondary cataract, they are actually referring to PCO.

Treatment of Posterior Capsule Opacity

A simple and painless procedure called laser capsulotomy can effectively address PCO. This treatment works by making a hole in the cloudy capsule tissue, enabling light to pass through the eye and restore clear vision.
Before the laser procedure, your eye will be numbed to ensure your comfort. The whole process usually takes about five minutes, and most people only need this treatment for PCO once.

Recovery following a laser capsulotomy is easy to manage. Any discomfort after the procedure is minimal, and there are no restrictions on activities to be concerned about. You can expect your vision to improve within approximately 24 hours.

Contact SightMD now to make an appointment with a doctor to discuss your vision at a location that works for you!