As we age, our eyes undergo natural wear and tear, resulting in the clouding of the eye’s natural lens, known as cataracts. This is a normal part of the aging process. However, when the symptoms of a cataract persist and become bothersome, cataract surgery can often be used to help improve vision. This involves removing the cloudy lens and, in most cases, replacing it with a crystal clear, intraocular lens implant (IOL).
Cataract surgery has the highest success rate of any surgery practiced today. Still, many patients develop what is known as Posterior Capsule Opacification (PCO), or an After Cataract. While PCO rates have declined in recent years, as a result of advances in surgical techniques and intraocular lens materials, PCO is common and is essentially a normal side effect of successful cataract surgery.
Posterior Capsule Opacification can develop over the clear posterior capsule anywhere from a few months to a few years after cataract surgery. PCO results from the growth and abnormal proliferation of lens epithelial cells (LECs) on the capsule after cataract surgery. Eventually, these cells migrate to the center of the posterior capsule, causing blurred or blurry vision.
Posterior Capsule Opacification Treatment in Annapolis
A simple examination should be able to diagnose your issue and, if the problem is found to be Posterior Capsule Opacification, YAG laser capsulotomy can be used to rectify the situation. This procedure involves a few simple steps:
- The eye is dilated using eye drops.
- The hazy posterior capsule is removed using a laser.
- Drops may be used to reduce inflammation following the procedure.
YAG laser capsulotomy takes only a few minutes and is painless. Patients may resume normal activities immediately following the procedure. However, as with any eye procedure, if your vision does not improve or if it worsens, call your Annapolis eye doctor immediately. Any sudden change in your vision is a serious medical condition that requires prompt medical attention from your optometrist or ophthalmologist.
If you have any questions about Posterior Capsule Opacification Treatment in Annapolis, or wish to schedule an appointment with Anne Arundel Eye Center, please contact Dr. Boles, Dr. Nicole Regis, Dr. Kathryn Turner and the eye care specialists here at AAEC by calling 410-224-2010 or visiting AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today.
For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.
With the days getting shorter, have you started to notice changes to your vision while driving at night? If so, this could be an early warning sign of cataracts.
By the year 2050, the National Eye Institute (NEI) predicts that more than 50.2 million Americans will develop cataracts. So, it should come as no surprise that cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed procedure across the country. Still, there is a lot that the general public does not know about cataract surgery – particularly when it comes to post-op care.
The National Eye Institute (NEI) predicts that by the year 2050, 50.2 million Americans will develop cataracts. But don’t worry. Cataracts are a normal part of the aging process, currently affecting more than 22 million Americans age 40 and older, and half of all Americans over the age of 80, according to NEI. In a healthy eye, the lens focuses “light onto the retina for clear vision” and “adjusts the eye’s focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and far away,” explains Gretchyn Bailey, editor in chief of Optometry Times. Over time, proteins begin to build up in the lens, forming protein clumps, which can obscure normal vision. These clumps, or deposits, prevent light from passing clearly through the lens, causing images to appear cloudy or blurry, especially at night.
In a new study published on March 7, 2017 by PLoS One, a team of researchers from the Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science in Taiwain, led by principal investigator Ji-An Liang, MD, found that the hepatitis C virus (HCV) increases cataract risk, particularly if treated with interferon-ribavirin.