hi all, had cataract surgery in Feb 2019 and just got back from optho and she says i have the beginning of PCO. I had no idea. she advises I wait to do YAG until it becomes bothersome. I am in shock as I thought my vision was good. I read 20/20 today. Did this happen quickly to anyone else? how fast is it likely to get worse?
Can happen within weeks. 9 months sounds very good, specially if someone is young.
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You only YAG when it interferes with your vision.
I am 4 months in after surgery, and I was told I had no more pco “than expected”.
I found out that pco is not an on/off thing, in fact pco is also what secures the lens in the capsular bag. But if/when it gets thick right in the middle behind the lens, it can interrupt with the light that is going through, and if/when it does, you would consider having it removed in a hole right behind the lens.
I understand your shock, our eyes are so precious, and it can really be worrying.
I asked when we normally would consider having it fixed, she said when it is bothersome and gives you noticeable worse vision. She pointed to the matt desk pad underneath her pc keyboard, and said this is how it looks like for me, when I look in an eye that needs pco treatment.
She could not give me any clue on how long time it takes before it gets to become a problem, she said it varies a lot, for some it happens within a couple of month, for some it takes many years. But I should be aware of it, and call them, when/if my vision becomes noticeable worse.
So if not experiencing symptoms i leave things be. Does PCO always progress and how fast? been googling and can’t find answers.
ok thanks. i have anxiety now because i still need cataract surgery down the road on left eye and I thought i had good vision in the right one with PCO. Yet, I read 20/20’in both eyes today. shrug. thankful for that.
Yes, I understand why it comes as a shock.
I was born with cataracts, and the statistics say that I have very close to 100% risk of pco that needs surgery, so I consider it as part of the package, but off course I would rather not.
The Yag procedure have not really changed the last 30 years, they shoot a small hole in the capsular bag behind the lens, it only takes few seconds. The laser shoots from different angles at the same time, and only at the point where the laser beams intersect will something happen to the tissue, so there are no holes in the outer part of the eye, it is quick and painless, and there is no risk of infection or anything like that.
When you had the lens implanted, the surgeon made a hole in the front part of the capsular bag.
It is a hole similar to that hole, that is being made with the Yag laser on the backside of the lens.
Outcome of yag is normally very safe and effective, off course there is always risks, but most people have really good results.
I know several that have had pco treated with Yag, for them it was quick and effective, it restored their vision within few hours, and they have had no complications.
One of them had it done more than 20 years ago, he almost could not remember it, when I asked him about it.
But you decide for yourself, when it is time to have it done, and when it is done it will last for a lifetime. you only need to have the Yag procedure once.
“So if not experiencing symptoms i leave things be.” - YES
"Does PCO always progress and how fast? " - it is fast for kids, younger patients and those with posterior sub capsular cataracts.
thank u
thank you. i am super bummed. but i know things could be worse
posterior subcapsular cataracts require surgery correct? not YAG.
she said i had some mild scarring that she’d remove with laser when it bothers me. is that typical PCO? or is that posterior subcapsular cataract? Those are treated with surgery not YAG right? i’m getting confused.
posterior subcapsular cataract requires surgery. however this condition is prone to faster PCO.
gotcha. i have a call in to doc to ask some questions about the severity of the PCO. I’m searching for a symptom this morning but vision is clear so far. Now I’ll be checking constantly:(
My severity is now 2+. What IOL do you have?
You will be good. Don’t worry too much. The hardest part was done when your eye was operated.
With right eye 1+ PCO, I did not notice symptoms. With left eye 2+ (and probably worse now), I did notice symptoms. If you don’t have symptoms, my advice is don’t do the YAG.
thank you
i called my doc back and they said very mild PCO right now
nothing i can do about it:(
does anyone think computer or ipad use makes it worse?
i called and she said mine is very mild PCO
im doing nothing for now
you did YAG Deb and what happened?
acrysof toric lens. what do you have? wondering if it is the IOL or the surgeon or just bad luck?
i have the symfony. i believe it is combination of surgeon/age/type of cataract/bad luck/use of femtolaser.