REALLY?

Can cataracts grow back after they have been removed?

“Once a cataract is removed, it cannot grow back,” said Dr. Jessica B. Ciralsky, an ophthalmologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Blurred vision can develop after cataract surgery, mimicking the symptoms of the original cataract. This is not a recurrence of the cataract and is from a condition that is easily treated, said Ciralsky, who is a cornea and cataract specialist.

Cataracts, which affect about 22 million Americans older than 40, are a clouding of the eye’s naturally clear crystalline lens. Besides blurred vision, the symptoms include glare and difficulty driving at night.

In cataract surgery, the entire cataract is removed and an artificial lens is implanted in its place; the capsule that held the cataract is left intact to provide support for the new lens. After surgery, some patients could develop a condition called posterior capsular opacification, which is often referred to as a secondary cataract.

“This is a misnomer,” Ciralsky said. “The cataract has not actually grown back.”

Instead, she explained, in about 20 percent of patients, the capsule that once supported the cataract has become cloudy, or opacified. A brief laser procedure done in the office can treat the problem effectively.