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| Why does it seem like my cataract has come back?
When the cataract is removed, the "capsule", or bag of your natural lens is left behind to hold the new lens in place. This capsule shrink wraps around the lens, and eventually clouds over, giving similar symptoms to the original cataract.
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Do I have to have surgery again?
No. The after-cataract is a simple, outpatient laser procedure that takes about five minutes. It's painless, and the results are immediate.
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The top picture to the left is of a cloudy capsule as seen through the slit lamp microscope.
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The lower picture shows a capsule that has been cut by the YAG laser, leaving a clear area to see through.
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| Do I have to fast the night before?
No. There is no anesthesia, so you can follow your normal diet and activities.
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What about after?
You will return to the office one hour after the procedure to check your pressure and let your doctor look inside your eye. This is a very short appointment.
You will use drops for about four days after the procedure, and return for one more follow-up check within the week.
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Will I be able to play tennis after the surgery?
Only if you were able to before the surgery. Otherwise, you will need to take tennis lessons.
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| How soon before my vision improves?
You should notice an immediate improvement in your vision. However, we recommend you not drive yourself home after the laser procedure, since your eye will be dilated and exposed to a lot of bright lights.
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Are there risks to the procedure?
All surgical procedures have risks, but this one is relatively safe. There is a slight risk of the intra-ocular pressure rising sharply. For this reason, we check your pressure one hour after the procedure. If your pressure is up, it is easily treatable with temporary use of eye drops.
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What else could happen?
There is a very small chance, about one in one thousand, of the retina detaching. Again, this is correctable by our doctors. The risks of complications, although slight, are why it's very important to keep all of your follow-up appointments after any surgical procedure.
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Will the cloudy capsule come back?
No- once the laser procedure is performed, the capsule cannot grow back.
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