Question: I have a question about the time to develop a secondary cataract. I am a 56 year old woman who had cataract surgery just 3 months ago in my left eye and 2 months ago in my right. My vision was perfect immediately after surgery--20/20 at distance and I could read without glasses pretty well. Now my close up vision is blurry and my intermediate vision in my left eye is also getting blurred. I am told this is due to a secondary cataract. Does this sound right? Do they happen this fast?
Answer: A secondary cataract, which is called posterior capsular opacification or “PCO”, is not an uncommon occurrence after cataract surgery and lens implants. In fact in some reports as many as 30% of patients having cataract surgery actually develop posterior capsular opacification. While the timeframe for the development of PCO can vary widely, it is possible for it to occur in patients a few months after their cataract removal. Depending on the density of the cataract removed, the difficulty of the actual procedure and many other factors can accelerate PCO formation. Fortunately, PCO is readily treatable with a YAG Laser Capsulotomy-a painless, quick and very effective laser treatment that produces almost instant improvement of vision.
Important Note: The information presented on the About Cataract Surgery Blog or provided in response to a request for information in the Ask Cataract Surgeons section on aboutcataractsurgery.com is not intended to diagnose or treat eye problems, eye conditions or eye diseases including appropriateness of treatment, risks, complications or side effects as related to Cataracts, Cataract Surgery or Lens Implants. In particular a response to an inquiry made on the Ask Cataract Surgeons section of aboutcataractsurgery.com is not meant to take the place of the professional medical care provided by your eye doctor, ophthalmologist and Cataract Surgeon. Contacting us via e-mail or any other means is not a substitute for medical care.
No comments:
Post a Comment