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Nd:YAG helps prevent anterior capsule contraction after cataract surgery in high-risk patients
J Cataract Refract Surg. 2011;37(1):97-103.
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Anterior capsule relaxing incisions created with an Nd:YAG laser shortly after cataract surgery decreased the incidence of anterior capsule contraction in high-risk patients, a study said.
The randomized, masked clinical trials included 84 patients who had anterior capsule relaxing incisions with Nd:YAG laser in either eye 3 days after cataract surgery. At baseline, researchers did not observe a significant difference in the mean opening area between the fellow eyes.
However, the area was significantly greater in the 30 patients with primary angle closure, and "the percentage reduction in area was significantly less in the capsulotomy group than in the no-capsulotomy group (P ≤ .0428)," the study said.
The 28 patients with pseudoexfoliation and the 26 patients with diabetic retinopathy also showed a percentage reduction in area that was significantly less in the capsulotomy group than in the no-capsulotomy group (P ≤ .0493), but no significant difference in area was reported.
In addition, researchers found no significant difference in IOL decentration or tilt, posterior capsule opacification or postoperative complications.
Follow-up was conducted at 1, 3 and 6 months. The authors said that longer follow-up and additional high-risk conditions should be included in future studies.