YAG Laser Capsulotomy

YAG Capsulotomy is the treatment for PCO (Posterior capsule opacification) – which is a common sequelae of cataract surgery occurring in more than a quarter of patients who have had their cataracts removed.

PCO is a thickening of the back of the lens capsule, which holds your lens in place, and can cause you to experience problems with your vision such as blurring and glare. These symptoms can mimic the original symptoms you had with your cataract but it is a completely different condition.

Treatment

PCO is straightforward to treat using laser technology – this procedure is called YAG Capsulotomy; this is a needle free, painless procedure, with the laser treatment taking about 1 to 2 minutes.

Once the laser is done the PCO can never recur.

You must not drive on the day but otherwise there are few restrictions on you.

Treatment for Posterior Capsular Opacification - June 2017
Hi there, just a brief note to say how pleased I am with the service that you provided. I had cataract surgery in 2015 and after shortly afterwards my eyesight started to deteriorate, in one eye and then the other. Following several attempts to get to this corrected I had laser treatment for Posterior Capsular Opacification by Dr Alwitry.

He was very professional and I felt completely at ease during the treatment. My vision is massively improved. Just as he had predicted.

With much appreciation

AS

Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT)

Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty, or SLT, is a form of laser surgery that is used to lower intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma.

It is used when eye drop medications are not lowering the eye pressure enough or are causing significant side effects. It can also be used as initial treatment in glaucoma.

Laser energy is applied to the drainage tissue in the eye. This starts a chemical and biological change in the tissue that results in better drainage of fluid through the drain and out of the eye. This eventually results in lowering of IOP. It may take 1-3 months for the results to appear.

One key aspect of SLT is a favourable side effect profile, even when compared with glaucoma medications. Post-operative inflammation is common but generally mild, and treated with observation or eye drops or an oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. There is an approximately 5% chance of the pressure going up transiently after laser, which can be managed by glaucoma medications and usually goes away after 24 hours.

SLT lowers the IOP by about 30% when used as initial therapy. The effect will generally last between 1-5 years, and in some cases, longer than that. If it does not last at least 6-12 months, it is usually not considered successful.

If SLT is effective at lowering IOP but this wears off over several years, the procedure can be repeated. Repeat treatments may or may not lower IOP as much as the first, and continued repeat laser will eventually not be effective.