Last Updated on April 3, 2023 by Shabnam Sengupta
Cataracts can impact individuals across different age groups, including infants, adults, and the elderly, though it tends to be more prevalent among the latter. They can appear in both eyes and differ in their level of severity. Initially, the disease progresses slowly without hampering everyday tasks. However, as time passes, particularly beyond the fourth or fifth decade, it will mature, causing the lens to become fully opaque to light, thereby impeding regular activities. In this article, we will discuss whether it is possible for cataracts to come back and why.
Is it possible for cataracts to recur?
No. It is not possible for a cataract to recur once the doctors remove it surgically. During the surgery, the surgeon replaces the cloudy natural lens of the eye with an artificial lens, which cannot develop cataracts. However, some patients may experience a condition called posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery, which can cause similar symptoms to cataracts, such as blurry vision and glare. PCO occurs when the capsule that holds the artificial lens becomes cloudy. It can be treated with a simple laser procedure to restore clear vision.
Why can’t cataracts come back after surgery?
During cataract surgery, the eye surgeon will numb your eye, remove the clouded natural lens, and replace it with an artificial lens. Surgical removal of the natural lens eliminates any protein that could cause clouding of vision, preventing them from growing back.
The surgeons use an intraocular lens (IOL), made of synthetic material, to replace the natural lens during the surgery. This lens does not break down like the natural lens. However, a condition called posterior capsular opacification, also known as ‘secondary cataract‘, may develop after surgery. This condition affects the part of the eye that holds the lens, not the lens itself, and can cloud your vision. You should know that PCO is completely different from this condition.
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