How soon can YAG be done?
JAN 30, 2024
Answer:
Several months or years after a cataract is removed, part of the lens capsule (the lens covering that supports the artificial lens implant) can become cloudy. This is called posterior capsule opacification, or PCO.
With YAG laser posterior capsulotomy, your ophthalmologist makes an opening in the center of the cloudy capsule with a laser to allow light to pass through the lens properly again. This can be done very soon after cataract surgery, but most ophthalmologists think it is wiser to wait 30 to 60 days in order for the intraocular lens implant to fully seat itself inside the capsule and to avoid any additional inflammation (swelling) immediately after the operation. If a YAG laser procedure is needed, your surgeon can offer more specific information regarding its timing.
This question was originally answered on Feb. 1, 2014.