What Is After-Cataract (Posterior Capsular Opacification), And Is There Anything That Can Be Done To Fix It?

Aug. 24, 2009— -- Question: What is after-cataract (posterior capsular opacification), and is there anything that can be done to fix it?

Answer: Over the years, approximately 15 percent of patients [who] have an uncomplicated routine cataract surgery have developed a clouding or a thickening of a natural membrane in the eye which sits just behind the lens implant, called the posterior lens capsule. This has been referred to as "after-cataract" or a secondary capsular opacification. In any case, this is a clouding that may resemble the symptoms that a person had before surgery, and this is relatively easily fixed by doing a laser procedure called a YAG laser capsulotomy to open and remove that clouded membrane.