Floaters after Cataract Surgery

Question: I have a question about floaters and cataract surgery. I had cataract surgery on 12/13/11 for cataract removal and was told a membrane type material had formed and covered the lens making my vision poor. He referred me to another eye surgeon who performed a second procedure to deal with the problem. My vision after the second surgery has improved however I experienced considerable floaters. The floaters have decreased in volume for the most part to thin hair like floaters but can I expect the floaters to further decrease in size and volume?

Answer: From your description is not obvious whether you had a ruptured posterior capsule that required a vitrectomy by the second surgeon or simply an immediate posterior capsular opacification requiring a YAG Laser Capsulotomy to clear the vision. If you had a vitrectomy it is quite common to experience floaters after the procedure and sometimes for a few months before they fully settle down.

If you had a YAG Laser Capsulotomy this can also sometimes be accompanied by some post procedure floaters that also can persist for a short period of time. In any event, you should discuss the floaters with the second eye surgeon who will be able to give you some sense oh how long they might persist based on the type of procedure you had and the extent of the procedure.

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