Cloudy vision after cataract surgery
Cloudy vision after cataract surgery, called posterior capsule opacification, is when your sight becomes misty again months or years after a cataract operation. It is common and is fixed with a quick laser treatment. Read more about cloudy vision after cataract surgery →
If symptoms are sudden, severe or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111.
Where are you up to?
The NHS reports waiting times by specialty, not by individual condition, so this is the ophthalmology wait (not specific to cloudy vision after cataract surgery), updated August 2026. Enter a postcode to see the hospitals near you.
ophthalmology waiting times by hospital
| Trust | Location | Typical wait |
|---|---|---|
| University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | Birmingham | 2 weeks |
| Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | Dorset | 4 weeks |
| The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust | Dudley | 5 weeks |
| Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | Reigate and Banstead | 5 weeks |
| Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust | Wiltshire | 6 weeks |
| London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust | Brent | 6 weeks |
| Airedale NHS Foundation Trust | Bradford | 6 weeks |
| Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Cheshire East | 7 weeks |
About cloudy vision after cataract surgery
Cloudy vision after cataract surgery, known as posterior capsule opacification (PCO), is when sight turns misty or hazy again months or years after a cataract operation. It isn't the cataract coming back. The thin membrane that holds your lens implant in place has thickened, so light can't pass through it as clearly. It's common and happens to many people after cataract surgery.
How it is treated
It's treated with a quick laser procedure called a YAG laser capsulotomy. In an eye clinic, and without any cut, the laser makes a small opening in the cloudy membrane so light can get through again. It's done while you're awake, usually takes only a few minutes, and most people go home the same day.
After treatment
Vision usually clears within a day or so, often back to how it was straight after your cataract surgery. You may notice a few floaters for a short time afterwards. The treatment only needs doing once for that eye, because the membrane doesn't thicken again after the opening is made.
Sources: NHS: Cataract surgery, NHS (Frimley Health): YAG laser capsulotomy. Last updated October 2026.
General information only, not medical advice. Wait or Pay is independent and is not the NHS. Your GP decides what care, if any, you need.