Laser treatment following extracapsular surgery

A YAG (yttrium, aluminum, and garnet) laser is used if vision is blurred by clouding of the back of the lens capsule that remains in the eye following extracapsular surgery. The YAG laser produces a hole in the back of the lens capsule by focusing a burst of energy on it. The procedure, called a YAG capsulotomy, leads to prompt clearing of vision.

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The risk of retinal detachment with YAG capsulotomy is small, affecting approximately 1 in 300 people within three to four years of surgery. This risk is increased in younger people and those who are extremely nearsighted.