When to get YAG?
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi everyone,
Hope you are all doing great! I am almost 11 months post surgery and am having cloudy vision in my left (dominant) eye. I was told at my 6-month check up that I had the beginnings of the cell growth on the lens which ultimately will end up in a YAG treatment. While driving the other night, I noticed the signs had double letter overlays on them and were very blurry. Also the car lights were having the same effect as before I had the lens implant. I was told my insurance would not pay until it reaches a certain point and to come back at the 12-month mark for a check up. I am wondering if I should go now? Of course, in America, a check up brings costs hence why I am asking her first....if you had YAG, at what stage were you when you got it? Also, any concerns with having this procedure? I read there is a slight increased chance of retinal detachment...but that was true with the lens replacement as well. Thanks in advance 😃
0 likes, 7 replies
Night-Hawk Jennifer_Guess
Posted
PCO is the clouding of the membrane cover of the eye lens that they use the YAG laser to punch a hole in the membrane to restore clear vision.
It took almost 3 years for my right eye to get significant PCO after cataract surgery to warrant the YAG procedure. It only took a few minutes in the doctor's office and cleared the vision right away for me.
Some doctors may go for the YAG before PCO is bad enough, so I'd recommend waiting until there is no choice due to significant clouding that the doctor confirms is PCO by looking closely in the eye during a dilated eye exam.
Jennifer_Guess Night-Hawk
Posted
Hello,
Thank you for this reply. Does this mean that if done too early, more growth could happen?
Myope_PSC Jennifer_Guess
Edited
Night-Hawk sums it up well. I'll just add that rarely, calcification of the IOL is the cause of the cloudiness instead of PCO. It's worth asking the doctor to try to make sure to rule that out before YAG. Some medications for eye conditions are associated with IOL calcification. A calcified IOL will have to be removed at some point and it's better to have the explant done before YAG. Hydrophilic IOLs have a higher incidence of calcification than hydrophobic IOLs.
Jennifer_Guess Myope_PSC
Posted
Oh no! This sounds terrible! Hopefully not. I did have an appointment a couple of months ago so hopefully she would have seen that then.
Myope_PSC Jennifer_Guess
Edited
I doubt that's what is affecting your vision. I just mentioned it so that there's more awareness of the potential issue. There are posts on this forum from people with Oculentis lenses for example where it was thought that YAG would solve the cloudiness issue but the procedure didn't help. Their lenses were becoming calcified and had to be removed.
You have hydrophobic IOL's which are less likely to have that problem.
Jennifer_Guess Myope_PSC
Posted
Thanks for the clarification 😃 PSAs are always a good thing IMO so no worries there.
Guest Jennifer_Guess
Edited
I think the Oculentis issue was a well known defect specific to that lens. I believe there were multiple recalls and lawsuits. Doesn't mean it couldn't happen with another brand of lens but I suspect it's unlikely.