Information on Secondary Cataracts

Secondary Cataract

When a patient requires cataract surgery, the surgeon removes the cataract substance from the lens of the eye. The outer layer of the lens, the capsule, is left in place to hold the artificial lens. Following cataract surgery, many patients then experience clouding of this tissue. This condition is known as a secondary cataract. It is very common and the same symptoms caused by the original cataract are perceived again during this condition. The onset of a secondary cataract can occur months or years after the original surgery has been performed. If it happens in one, then more than likely it will happen in the other eye too. A secondary cataract occurs when the capsule becomes cloudy following surgery. It is called posterior capsule opacification and can be easily treated with a laser.

Up to 30percent of patients develop this condition after their original cataract surgery. The laser treatment is only effective on secondary cataracts which develop after surgery. The laser allows the surgeon to make a hole in the cloudy capsule that is causing the problems and clear the vision. This procedure only takes a few moments to complete. Common complications can include glaucoma, retinal tears and inflammation and swelling. After the procedure the doctor generally arranges a follow-up visit and provides drops, which control the pressure inside the eye and limit the swelling.

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