Cataracts do not return once they are removed. However, a condition known as secondary cataract or posterior capsular opacification can occur which can cause mild degradation of visual acuity. At the time of cataract surgery, an intraocular lens is placed into the capsular bag. The capsular bag is the section of the eye which contains and houses the new intraocular lens. With time, the capsular bag itself may become slightly wrinkled and opacified. This process can lead to posterior capsular opacification (PCO) and can lead to vision which is not as clear as it was immediately after the cataract procedure. The opacification can cause blurred vision or can lead to mildly increased glare and/or halos.
Luckily, PCO can be easily treated with in-office YAG laser capsulotomy. During this procedure, the pupil is dilated and numbed with topical anesthetic drops. A laser light is then shined into the eye to clean and clear the cloudy opacification of the lens. The procedure takes minutes to complete, is painless, and regular activities can be resumed immediately. Clear visual acuity is restored within hours of the procedure. Once YAG laser capsulotomy is performed, it typically never has to be repeated again, since no opacification can return once this procedure is completed. Vision will remain clear and consistent once this film is permanently removed.
This process may take years to develop after cataract surgery. In some patients, it can occur in several months after the cataract procedure. Indeed in many patients, PCO may never develop and YAG capulotomy may never be necessary. The only way to check on this condition is to have your eyes periodically examined by your Ophthalmologist and to report any signs or symptoms of decreased visual acuity which you may have.