What is a YAG?

A YAG laser capsulotomy is a procedure that is sometimes required after Cataract Surgery. “At least 30% of patients who have cataract surgery will develop a secondary cataract over time and require a YAG laser” says Dr. Jordan Sterrer of Eyecare Medical Group.


When a patient has their natural lens removed during Cataract Surgery, the capsule of the original lens is left intact to support the new intraocular lens that is implanted. Sometimes, a cloud forms in the capsule and vision becomes blurred. This is what is referred to as a secondary Cataract. The procedure to relieve this problem is a YAG laser capsulotomy. A small opening is created in the center of the capsule, and vision is restored. A YAG laser procedure is painless and generally takes about 15 minutes. Because a secondary Cataract does not develop in all patients, a YAG laser procedure is considered a separate procedure from the original Cataract Surgery.

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Eyecare Medical Group Cataract Awareness Month

Eyecare Medical Group wishes to announce that Prevent Blindness America has designated June as National Cataract Awareness Month. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. About 20.5 million Americans age 40 and older have cataracts and more than half of all Americans develop cataracts by age 80.
Many patients do not actually know that a cataract is a clouding of the crystalline lens of the eye preventing light rays from passing through it easily. This results in a clouding and blurring of vision. They need to understand that cataracts are not a growth or a film over the eye. For many patients cataracts start out slowly and have little effect on vision at first. But, as the cataract becomes denser, so does the impact on vision. The most common symptoms that bother patients with cataracts include:

• blurring of vision

• sensitivity to light and glare

• double vision in one eye

• poor night vision

• fading or yellowing of colors

• frequent changes in glasses or contact lens prescriptions

When cataracts do begin to interfere with daily activities or with patient comfort and safety, they can be treated surgically. Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most frequently performed surgeries in the United States. Today, at Eyecare Medical Group in Portland, Maine Drs. Cassidy, Holt, Daly, Solish and Sterrer provide a full range of Intraocular Lens Implants (IOL) available that allow us to correct near vision as well as distance vision without requiring bifocals or reading glasses for the vast majority of patients. 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.

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Recovery from Cataract Surgery at Eyecare Medical Group

For patients having surgery of any type having and understanding of what to expect during the recovery period is an important piece of information. At Eyecare Medical Group we are fortunate to be able to provide our patients with a comfortable and “patient friendly” recovery from cataract surgery. Here is what you need to know:


First, if you are in generally good health it is most likely that your cataract operation will be performed in our ambulatory surgical center at Eyecare Medical Group. We have designed this eye surgery facility to be comfortable, close to home and efficient. Your entire cataract surgery procedure should take only 2-3 hours from the time you check in until the time you check out.

Second, with Drs. Cassidy, Holt, Daly, Solish and Sterrer advanced cataract surgery is most often performed with “topical eye drop anesthesia”-that is, for most patients the only anesthesia required are some eye drops along with a tablet to help you relax. Thus, there is really minimal if any “recovery” from the anesthesia used. You are usually feeling “back to normal” by the end of the day of your surgery or certainly by the next morning.

Third, with the advanced cataract surgery technique of “small incision phacoemulsification” that the Eyecare Medical Group Cataract Surgeons perform there is only a need to create a tiny incision-often just a few millimeters-through which the cataract is removed and the intraocular lens is implanted. This tiny incision is so small so as not to require any “stitches” or sutures in many cases. Thus the wound healing is very quick. Finally, depending on the type of lens implant that is used it is highly likely that your distance vision will be dramatically improved within 24 hours. In fact many patients actually are comfortable driving the next day after their cataract operation. If you have a multifocal or accommodating lens implant to correct both your distance and near vision it might take a bit longer to appreciate the full clarity of the near vision correction. So, it is pretty likely that you will be back to work in a few days and depending on your cataract surgeon’s instructions you should be able to resume all of your normal activities with a couple of days.


If you would like to learn more about Cataracts, Cataract Surgery and Lens Implants or would like to schedule an examination and consultation please feel free to call Eyecare Medical Group Toll Free at 888.374.2020.

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