Today, I review and link to EyeWiki’s “Posterior Capsule Opacification” from The American Academy Of Ophthalmology.
All that follows is from the above resource:
Disease
Posterior capsule opacification (PCO), often referred to as “secondary cataract,” is the most common postoperative complication of cataract extraction. In PCO, the posterior capsule undergoes secondary opacification due to the migration, proliferation, and differentiation of lens epithelial cells (LECs). PCO can cause significant visual symptoms, particularly when it involves the central visual axis[1]. Despite advances in surgical techniques, intraocular lens (IOL) design, and development of therapeutic agents to inhibit PCO, this condition continues to impose a significant burden on patients and the health care system.
Epidemiology
PCO occurs in 20-50% of patients within 2 to 5 years of cataract surgery. Although the incidence of PCO is reported to have declined in recent years, there is no definitive data[2], and the reported decrease may represent only a later onset of PCO[2][3][4][5]. Children and infants have a significantly higher incidence and earlier onset of PCO, along with the potential for associated amblyopia. In children, reported rates of PCO reach 100% [4][6].
