This is a quick, painless procedure done in your doctor's office. You will sit at a machine called a slit lamp, much like during a regular eye exam. Your doctor will place special eye drops to numb your eye and may use a lens to focus. The YAG laser is then used to create a small, clear opening in the cloudy membrane (posterior capsule) that sits behind your artificial lens implant. This cloudiness is a common occurrence months or years after cataract surgery. The laser uses focused light energy to vaporize a tiny area of the cloudiness without making any incision. The entire process takes only a few minutes.
Before procedure
You can eat normally and take your regular medications.
You will need someone to drive you home afterward, as your vision will be temporarily blurry and your eye may be sensitive to light.
Inform your doctor of all medications, especially if you take blood thinners.
After procedure
You will use anti-inflammatory eye drops and anti-glaucoma eyedrops for about one week to prevent inflammation and elevated eye pressure.
Your vision may be blurry, or you may see "floaters" (small specks) for a few hours or days as the microscopic debris clears.
You can usually resume most normal activities the next day, but avoid rubbing your eye.
Vision often improves significantly within 1-2 days.
Complication and alarm signs
This procedure is very safe. The most common issue is a temporary increase in eye pressure. Rare complications include damage to the lens implant, retinal swelling, or a detached retina.
Contact your doctor immediately if you experience: A sudden increase in floaters, flashes of light, a shadow or curtain appearing in your side vision, or sudden loss of any part of your vision.