Can an IOL be "polished" with a laser to correct posterior capsule opacification?
FEB 21, 2014
Question:
Can an IOL be "polished" with a laser to correct posterior capsule opacification?
Answer:
Technically no. In about 25 percent of patients who have undergone cataract surgery, a film develops on a membrane called the posterior capsule. Your ophthalmologist may call this an "after cataract." This is actually a misnomer, the correct term is posterior capsule opacification, or simply a cloudy film on the membrane that is just behind the intraocular lens (IOL) implant. We actually remove the membrane with a laser called a "YAG laser." The surgery is referred to as a YAG capsulotomy.