Can a Cataract Grow Back?

“A Cataract is a clouding of the crystalline lens of the eye. Once we remove the Cataract-the cloudy crystalline lens-it can’t come back,” remarked Maine Cataract Surgeon Bruce Cassidy, MD of Eyecare Medical Group in Portland. “What does sometimes happen is that a condition called “posterior capsular opacification” can occur that makes it seem as if the Cataract is growing back-but it’s not.”

The crystalline lens of the eye is where a Cataract forms. The crystalline lens has a soft protein center and is surrounded by a capsule. A Cataract forms because the protein becomes cloudy. “During Cataract Surgery we use microscopic instruments to break up and remove the cloudy material as this is what blurs your vision-and we leave the “capsule” in place. We will actually place the intraocular lens implant (IOL) inside the capsule to help correct your vision,” said Robert Daly, M.D. a Cataract Surgeon and Glaucoma Specialist at Eyecare Medical Group. In some patients the capsule becomes “opacified” some time after surgery leaving the patient’s vision cloudy and often with glare sensitivity, much like the symptoms they had from the Cataract. “Fortunately, using a YAG Laser, we are able to quickly, safely and effectively create an opening in the capsule along the visual axis which restores the vision almost instantly”, said Dr. Daly. This procedure called a “YAG Capsulotomy” takes only a few minutes and is often performed using simple eye drop anesthesia without discomfort.

Please feel free to contact us with your questions about Cataracts, Cataract Surgery or Lens Implants by calling Eyecare Medical Group Care Toll Free at 888.374.2020.