THE EFFECT OF ND: YAG LASER TREATMENT OF POSTERIOR CAPSULAR OPACIFICATION ON ANTERIOR CHAMBER DEPTH AND REFRACTION IN PSEUDOPHAKIC EYES

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to look into possible changes in intraocular pressure and refraction brought on by modifications in anterior segment properties after Nd: YAG laser capsulotomy for opacification of the posterior capsule.

Study type: cross-sectional study.

Settings: Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology, Rawalpindi.

Duration: January 2025 to June 2025.

Subjects and Methods: Thirty-six randomly selected eyes from 22 individuals with clearly severe PCO, ranging in age from 20 to 70 years, were used in this study.  During phacoemulsification surgery, patients received single-piece, foldable, hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lenses inserted inside bags.  The eyes were thoroughly examined both before and after the capsulotomy. IOP and refractive variations were assessed.  Pentacam was used both prior to and after the capsulotomy.

Results: The mean VA (logMAR) rose statistically substantially from 0.53 ± 0.086 prior to the Nd:YAG laser-capsulotomy to 0.77 ± 0.074 one month after the procedure (P < 0.001).  After one month, the mean spherical and cylindrical powers were 0.19 ± 1.35 DS and − 0.86 ± 0.71 DC, respectively, compared to 0.50 ± 1.85 DS and 1.45 ± 0.97 DC before to the treatment. The method resulted in a considerable decrease in both cylindrical (P = 0.0001) and spherical (P = 0.003) errors. Prior to the Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy, the mean ACD was 4.55 ± 0.77 mm, and one month later, it was 3.98 ± 0.77 mm. Significant decreases in ACD were seen (P = 0.0025).

Conclusion: The anterior chamber actually shrank after capsulotomy; spherical equivalents did not alter, but spherical and cylindrical errors did.  As a result, the best corrected VA improved. The following variables did not differ statistically significantly: anterior chamber angle, anterior chamber volume, central corneal thickness, pupil size, or intraocular pressure.