Procedures for cataracts and YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) are performed at Providence Medical Center upon referral from area eye doctors.
Cataract surgery is performed by an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) on an outpatient basis, meaning you don’t have to stay in the hospital after surgery. Cataract surgery is very common and is generally a safe procedure.
A YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) capsulotomy is a special laser treatment used to improve your vision after cataract surgery. It is a simple, commonly performed procedure that is very safe. During your cataract operation, the natural lens inside your eye that had become cloudy was removed. A new plastic lens was put inside the lens membrane in your eye. In a small number of patients, the capsule thickens after surgery and becomes cloudy. This interferes with light reaching the back of the eye. When this happens, your sight becomes misty, and you may experience glare in bright light or from lights at night. Capsule thickening can happen in the months after your cataract operation, but more commonly occurs about two years after surgery. YAG laser capsulotomy is the only way to treat this. In a YAG laser capsulotomy, the doctor uses a special lens to apply a laser beam to the capsule. This creates a small hole in the center of the capsule, which lets light through, improving your vision.
