YAG Laser

Several months or years after cataract surgery, the thin, transparent capsule that holds the artificial intra-ocular lens in place can become cloudy. Such a condition results in the patient experiencing glare and blurring of vision. This is easily treated using YAG laser to create a small opening in the cloudy capsule, allowing the patient to enjoy clear vision as he/ she had experienced before.

This is a common condition especially among Asians. Other risk factors are female gender and age more than 60 years. The Pascal laser is used in combination with the YAG laser to create a small opening in the iris (the coloured part of the eye) to widen the drainage angles of the eyes, improve fluid drainage within the eye to help control eye pressure and prevent high pressure spikes from acute glaucoma.

Some patients are bothered by floaters wafting across their field of vision, obstructing and disturbing clear vision. In general, floaters will usually move aside out of the line of sight if given enough time and this is what we would recommend as the first step; let nature take its course. Very occasionally, a patient is so troubled by large central floaters that they have difficulty working comfortably. Previously, the only options were to leave it alone and hope that the floaters move or to do a major operation called a pars plana vitrectomy to remove the vitreous gel with the floaters.

ERS has now acquired an Ellex Ultra Q Reflex YAG laser that is specifically optimised for laser floaterectomy or vitreolysis. This laser is precisely aimed and fired at the offending floater resulting in disintegration of the floater into much smaller particles which do not obstruct vision so severely. It may be necessary to perform the laser more than once to have an effective result. Your doctor will advise you if it is safe for you to have this treatment as not every patient is suitable.