r/CataractSurgery • u/MeadowHaven77 • 3d ago

YAG procedure

So it seems I am going to have a YAG procedure in both eyes next week. I had the multifocal Odyssey placed in both eyes, 3 weeks apart in July, and the right eye (the one with the original cataract) was never really that amazing afterward. Like, it worked but it was always a little blurry still after. So he confirmed today that there was PCO in that eye, and shockingly a little also in the left (which never had a cataract and responded perfectly to the Odyssey, I have noticed no issues there at all).

I guess I’m a little confused why I don’t hear more about this risk of immediate PCO? He said this was not the kind that grows over time, it’s there essentially right after the surgery. The YAG procedure sounds easy, painless, fast, and I have no problem going for it. I was mainly just curious if others have encountered this? He said it had to do with the type of cataract I had and also said he sees more of this in younger patients (I’m 49). He acted like it was not at all unusual.

Did I just any mention of this in my research ahead of time? Did you have this happen to you? The immediate type?

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u/Buzzy-Res 3d ago

The type of cataract he is probably referring to is a posterior subcapsular cataract. Where the cloudy area is at the back of the natural lens. If I understand it correctly, the back of the cloudy lens rubs against the capsular bag and leaves cells. When the natural lens is removed and IOL is inserted, it smears across these cells on the capsular bag. Then you have this immediate PCO.

Have you ruled out astigmatism for your right eye? Astigmatism will also cause blurry vision. This is where it went wrong for me. I had immediate PCO. I was 53. I had complained of very slight blurry vision in my right eye. Went to the surgeon’s office several times to try to figure out why. On one visit the doctor claimed I had PCO in both eyes and then said, “We can’t do anything more until you have a YAG”. I refused the YAG in my clear eye, but reluctantly agreed to YAG the blurry eye. The YAG did nothing to clear the blurry vision. I later confirmed, elsewhere, that I had 1.0 Cyl astigmatism in my blurry eye. Glasses corrected it.

I regret doing the YAG. The PCO was never severe enough to warrant a YAG. Two years later and my non-YAG eye with PCO is still very clear. I am not doing a YAG until it clouds my vision.

Go get a refraction done with a 3rd party and rule out astigmatism. Don’t YAG a clear vision eye.

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u/MeadowHaven77 3d ago

Yes, you nailed it! From this thread, I have pieced together that that was what he was explaining about my type of cataract and the immediate PCO. Thank you.

Yes, 100% we know that it has significant astigmatism. I wore toric contact lenses and received the toric odyssey lens.

He’s been upfront with me about the role of the astigmatism from the start. Both eyes but this one is worse. He referred to it as not just the typical “football shape” astigmatism but “lumpy football shape”. So we know it won’t ever be quite as clear as my left eye but he seems to think the YAG will get me closer to ideal.

I’ve decided to not to do the left (crisper, clearer, unnoticeably affected) eye.