“Can a cataract recur in a person?”
My father had a cataract surgery and is still feeling hazy. Could it be his cataract coming back?
7 Answers
No, cataracts can never come back, however a film can build up behind the lens implant. This can be treated with a laser in the office. See an ophthalmologist.
No. A cataract cannot recur. There may be other issues that are making him blurry.
A. James Khodabakhsh, MD
A. James Khodabakhsh, MD
Cataracts do NOT come back. There is a portion of the back wall of the cataract (posterior capsule) that remains in the eye and is usually left clear and intact at the conclusion of surgery. This membrane can get hay weeks to more generally months to years later. If it is impairing vision it is opened in the office/clinic with a laser- YAG laser capsulotomy. IF the haze develops shortly after or weeks after the surgery it should be evaluated by the surgeon.
Yes and no. Any blurring may be due to a secondary or after cataract, which is due to cells regrowth on the capsule of the original cataract. This occurs months or years later.
No. Cataract changes occur in tissue called “lens” inside the eye. If the entire lens was removed, it cannot grow back. Another cause for blurred vision needs to be found. If the lens was only partly removed, the the remaining membranes may become opaque.
Cataracts cannot reoccur. What can happen over time after cataract surgery is the membrane we leave behind from your natural lens to hold the implant in place can become cloudy over time and may require a laser procedure to clear up your vision. You would need to go to eyecare professional to have a dilated exam and have this evaluated.
If the definition of cataract is a clouded lens, then the answer is a guarded no. In today's state of the art cataract surgery, the lens capsule is left in the eye to support the plastic lens (IOL) and approximately 30% of the time the membrane clouds secondary to cellular growth. This results in blurry vision. The remedy is making a hole in the clouded capsule with a YAG laser. But, of course, there can be other causes, so an exam by an ophthalmologist is recommended.
