What is YAG laser capsulotomy?

What is posterior capsular opacification?

YAG laser capsulotomy surgery is needed to treat posterior capsular opacification (PCO), a complication of cataract surgery. Before we get into what YAG treatment is, we need to understand what PCO is and why it occurs.

During surgery to remove a primary cataract, your eye’s natural aged lens, which is usually cloudy by the point of removal, is extracted from your eye. It is then replaced with a clear artificial lens to restore youthful vision. This artificial lens is inserted into the posterior lens capsule at the back of your eye. However, when the old lens is extracted, some of its epithelial cells can remain in the capsule. Over a period of months or years following surgery, these cells can begin to clump together and form a secondary cataract by clouding the capsule. PCO can also occur due to the capsule winkling after cataract surgery. This stops the light from reaching the retina at the back of the eye, which is the part that actually allows us to see.

This process is called PCO, also known as a secondary cataract, which needs to be treated with YAG laser capsulotomy surgery. Up to 20% of cataract surgery patients will develop PCO after their treatment, making it by far the most common complication after cataract surgery. It’s important to note that predicting which patients develop PCO is impossible, as is predicting which patients will experience PCO to the degree that they require YAG laser treatment.

What are the symptoms of PCO?

Ironically, the symptoms of PCO and a secondary cataract are actually very similar to the symptoms that come with a standard primary cataract. This includes:

• Clouded or blurred vision
• Dimmed colour vision
• Halos appearing around lights
• Light glares
• Difficulty with extreme distances (either far away or close up)

If you have recently had primary cataract surgery and begin to experience these issues with your vision, you should visit your optician for a diagnosis of PCO. Once you have this, you can seek treatment with a provider of your choice, such as Optimax.

What happens during YAG treatment?

YAG laser capsulotomy treatment is performed on an outpatient basis meaning you can return home on the day of your treatment to rest and recover in comfort. The treatment itself usually takes less than 10 minutes to perform and is a very simple procedure.

First, your surgeon will administer anaesthetic eye drops to prevent you from feeling any discomfort during the procedure. Then, they will insert dilation eye drops to open up your pupil, allowing them to access the part of your eye which needs to be treated. The surgeon will, using a laser, create a small, precise incision in the lens capsule. The laser breaks up the secondary cataract, removing the clouded and blurred vision. This means that light can pass through the incision to the retina again, restoring clear vision.

What to expect after YAG treatment

You should not feel any pain during or after YAG laser treatment. You may experience some mild discomfort or a gritty, scratchy sensation in the day or so after treatment, but no pain. If you do find that your recovery is painful, you should contact your clinic promptly for advice.

You should also urgently seek treatment in the very rare event that you experience the following symptoms after YAG treatment:

• Significantly more or worsening floaters
• Flashing lights
• Dark ‘curtain’ moving across your vision

YAG laser capsulotomy treatment is available at Optimax for a charge of £395 per eye. It is carried out by one of our expert lens surgeons who specialise in PCO and its treatment.

If you would like to make an appointment to start your journey to YAG laser treatment, please give us a call on 0800 093 1110 or email us at enquiry@optimax.co.uk.

Prices mentioned are correct at time of writing – please contact us for our most up-to-date pricing.