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After the laser

For a few days after the laser you may no- tice a lot of floaters. The capsule segment drops to the bottom of the over a few days, and you may notice large or small Dr. ______floaters at this time; they are normally not Telephone: ______troublesome. Next appointment ______

New spectacles

You may need a test for new spectacles. Thickening of Normally this is best carried out at your own optician’s office. However, if your In addition, the may rarely develop a sight is bad, ask for an appointment for a tiny tear months-years later. If this happens the posterior test in the eye clinic. you may notice:  Flashes of during the daytime capsule & laser Are there complications from  Floaters in your vision (it is normal to laser? have these in the weeks after the laser) treatment  A “curtain” drifting across your vision (if The laser is considered very safe, with very the tear extends into a retinal few complications. Occasionally a little detachment) This leaflet explains: more laser is needed to release the capsule  What a thickened capsule is on a second occasion. If you notice a lot of flashes and floaters all  How your sight is affected of a sudden, you need to have your eye Only a small hole in the capsule is needed,  What the laser is like examined to check if there is a small tear in so the implant still has enough sup-  Other details about laser the retina. ports

Less often, the laser can disturb the retina, If a “curtain” or “shutter” drifts across your The film behind the film lining in the back of the eye. For vision, you need to see an ophthalmologist instance, very rarely a little fluid can build the same day. your lens implant up in the retina. can thicken like As a precaution you should test your sight every day by covering one eye and checking frosted glass. your sight in the other eye. What a is A thickened posterior capsule Laser treatment Normally light enters the eye from the This capsule is normally clear like a glass Laser treatment makes a small hole in front, passes through a clear lens, and window. It is very thin, like cellophane. In the center of the capsule, and can restore reaches the back of the eye so you can a small number of patients the capsule your vision to how it was after the cata- see. If the lens becomes cloudy like frost- thickens up, and becomes a little opaque, ract operation. The treatment does not ed glass, light cannot pass through, like a frosted glass window. This stops the hurt, and you hardly notice anything at andyou cannot see properly. When the light from reaching the back of the eye. all. It takes about fifteen minutes; the lens becomes cloudy, it is called a If this happens, your sight becomes misty, laser machine is in the outpatient clinic. ‘cataract’. and it can become difficult to see at night, Your physician may or may not use a for the laser procedure. If a or in . contact lens is used, your physician will Capsule thickening can happen in the instill an anaesthetic drop and place a months after your cataract operation, but small contact lens on your eye. Then you more commonly occurs two or three years will place your on the frame of the after. The capsule thickening does not laser machine to keep your eye still, your damage the eye in any way; it merely physician will then focus the laser on the makes the sight fuzzy. capsule. The laser then makes small holes in the

capsule, often in a circle. The holes join up and, like tearing a postage stamp, a small hole is made in the capsule. The segment drops to the bottom of the eye.

If you have had a cataract operation, a clear plastic lens is placed in the ‘bag’ left behind when the cataract is removed. The new lens focuses the light onto the back of the eye, just like the original hu- man lens. The ‘bag’ is called a capsule; the capsule supports the implant.