By Tina D. Turner, M.D.,
Updated by Sefy Paulose, M.D. March, 2022
A Cataract Cannot Come Back After Surgery
This is because cataract surgery permanently removes the lens and places an artificial lens in the eye. Unlike our natural lens, these artificial lens do not harden, yellow and cloud overtime. However, the lens capsule, which is the small “sac” or membrane that once surrounded the natural lens and held it in place, can change.
Capsular Opacification
The lens capsule is like the shell of a peanut M&M. Overtime, this lens capsule can grow a small membrane which can seem like a cloudiness of the artificial lens itself. This is called capsular opacification and it develops in approximately 25% of patients after cataract surgery.
If this occurs, the patient may develop symptoms that are similar to those of a cataract, such as blurry or hazy vision, difficulty reading regular print, and sensitivity to bright lights and glare. Posterior capsular opacification is treated with a laser to create an opening in the center of that membrane to allows light to enter the eye. The procedure is painless, requires less than five minutes, and is usually performed in the doctor’s office.
Read Paul and Dorothy Johnson’s Personal Story, Told by Their Daughter
Read Paul and Dorothy Johnson’s story, written by their adult daughter. Dorothy had
cataracts and Paul had
macular degeneration and
diabetes. Learn how the Johnsons and their daughter made the decision to live together in their daughter’s home. “Truly,” says their daughter, “the five years I had with them at the end of their lives were a happy, rewarding time for all of us.”
Learn more about helpful and easy adaptations for at-home daily living skills: