Should you have YAG before having cataract surgery on the second eye?
JUN 23, 2019
Question:
If a patient has PCO (posterior capsule opacification) in her eye after cataract surgery, should that eye be repaired with YAG laser (or posterior capsulotomy) first, or should I have cataract surgery on the fellow eye first?
Answer:
If the PCO (when vision becomes cloudy shortly after cataract surgery) is bothering your vision significantly, have the YAG first. With YAG, or posterior capsulotomy, a laser makes an opening in the cloudy capsule holding your artificial lens and restores clear vision. It literally takes less than a minute with no restrictions afterward. You can plan to have the cataract surgery in the next days or week. There’s no harm in waiting to have the YAG either.