• After the procedure, usually you can The American Academy of Ophthalmology What is a posterior do all your normal daily activities, is the world's largest association of eye capsulotomy? including driving. Your ophthalmologist physicians and surgeons. A global community Posterior capsulotomy is laser surgery you will tell you if there are things you of 32,000 medical doctors, we protect sight might need sometime after cataract should not do right after surgery. and empower lives by setting the standards surgery. It helps you see clearly if your • You may need to use eyedrop medicine for ophthalmic education and advocating vision becomes cloudy again. for one week after the surgery. Your for our patients and the public. For more ophthalmologist will let you know if information, visit www.aao.org. When you have cataract surgery, your this is necessary. ophthalmologist removes your eye's cloudy • If you have no other eye problems lens. They replace it with a clear, artificial affecting your vision, your sight should COMPLIMENTS OF: intraocular lens (IOL). The IOL is held in improve in about 24 hours. place in the eye's natural lens capsule. Weeks, months or years later, this capsule can become cloudy or wrinkled, causing blurry vision. With posterior capsulotomy, a laser is used to make an opening in the cloudy capsule. This allows light to pass through again for clear vision.

What happens during posterior capsulotomy? The procedure is done in your ophthalmologist's office. It only takes about 5 minutes. Here is what will happen: With posterior capsulotomy, your ophthalmologist uses a laser beam to make an opening in the • Your eye will be numbed with eye cloudy lens capsule behind the IOL. drops. • Your ophthalmologist will point a

special laser at the back of the lens ©2016 American Academy of Ophthalmology capsule and make a small opening. 051204-2 Academy reviewed 03/16 978-1-61525-527-6

AMERICAN ACADEMY™ OF OPHTHALMOLOGY

2 AMERICAN ACADEMY'" OF OPHTHALMOLOGY What are the risks of Summary posterior capsulotomy? Posterior capsulotomy is a laser procedure Posterior As with any surgery, there are possible you may need sometime after cataract risks and complications with posterior surgery to restore clear vision. Capsulotomy capsulotomy. Here are some of them: When your new lens was implanted in • You may have a detached retina your eye during cataract surgery, it was (where the tissue lifts from the back placed in the eye's natural capsule. Over of your eye). You may see what looks time, this capsule can become cloudy or like a gray curtain moving across your wrinkled, causing blurry vision. Your field of vision. You might also see a lot ophthalmologist uses a laser to make an of floaters. opening in the cloudy capsule, allowing • The pressure in your eye may light to pass through properly again. increase. If you have any questions about your • The IOL might move through the eyes or your vision, speak with your posterior capsule opening. ophthalmologist. He or she is committed • You may have swelling in your eye, and to protecting your sight. you may need steroid eye drops.

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