A cataract occurs when the eye’s focusing lens, which lies just behind the pupil, becomes cloudy and obstructs the transmission of light to the retina. While surgery to replace the natural lens with an implanted artificial lens is the only way to correct cataracts, approximately 20 percent of patients will experience a side effect from the surgery called secondary cataract. In the case of a secondary cataract, the posterior capsule, a thin membrane that lies just behind the implanted lens, becomes clouded over with scar tissue that grows in response to the surgery. The most effective way to treat a secondary cataract is a simple laser procedure called posterior capsulotomy. 

During posterior capsulotomy treatment, a laser photodisruptor is used to create an opening in the center of the clouded posterior capsule, which removes the obstruction once again and allows light to reach the retina. The procedure is painless, requires no anesthesia, and typically results in improved vision within a day. Laser Capsulotomy is usually completed in the physician’s office or as a brief outpatient procedure in a hospital.

A less common form of glaucoma occurs when the aqueous fluid flow is obstructed by the anatomy of the eye blocking the path for fluid to reach the trabecular meshwork. This is known as Angle Closure Glaucoma (ACG) and often treated by performing a Laser Iridotomy with a photodisruptor. During iridotomy, a laser is used to create a tiny opening in the peripheral iris that allows fluid to flow directly into the anterior chamber from behind the iris. This typically resolves the built-up IOP and allows the anatomy of the eye to return to its normal state. Laser peripheral iridotomy is usually completed in the physician’s office or as a brief outpatient procedure in a hospital.