About 15% of patients operated for cataract develop opacifications of their lens capsule months to years after cataract surgery. This is called secondary cataract or posterior capsular opacity.

You need to wait at least 3 months after your cataract surgery has been performed before you can be treated for secondary cataract.

Symptoms of secondary cataract

Secondary cataract can cause impaired vision and glare.

Examination and treatment of secondary cataract

When examined for secondary cataract you will be given dilating eye drops.
The effect of these will last about 4 hours. During this time, your vision will be blurred, and you will be sensitive to light. Therefore, we advise you to bring a pair of sunglasses. Furthermore, we strongly recommend that you do not drive yourself.

The treatment is painless and done by using a laser on an outpatient basis.
You will be sitting down during the procedure which takes a few minutes.

After the procedure

After the procedure, your vision is blurred for the rest of the day. In the following days the vision gradually returns to the level it was before the secondary developed.

Please be aware of the following after the laser procedure:

• There is no need for pain relief medication
• The eye can be slightly red and irritated
• You may experience small moving opacities in your field of vision. These are remnants of the secondary cataract. They are harmless and the brain will gradually adapt to them.

Follow up after the procedure

Usually there is no need for a follow up neither with your own eye doctor nor with the department of Ophthalmology.

Unexpected adverse effects and questions

Swelling of the retina may occur in rare cases weeks after the procedure has been performed. You will experience this as blurred vision. If this happens, you need to contact your own eye doctor.

Sincerely,
The Department of Ophthalmology, 
Team Cataract