A Prospective Pilot Study Comparing the Retinal Layer Effects of Two Techniques for Nd: Yag Laser Posterior Capsulotomy

Aim: To compare the effects of cruciate and circular Neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd: YAG) laser posterior capsulotomy techniques on the thickness of retinal layers measured by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Study Design: A prospective cohort, clinical study

Setting Single surgery, Afyon Kocatepe University Hospital, TR.

Materials and Methods: 28 pseudophakic patients with the posterior capsule opacification were included in this prospective pilot study. Age- and sex-matched 2 groups were formed and either cruciate or circular technique for Nd: YAG laser posterior capsulotomy was applied to each group. All patients were examined 1 week and 1 month after the capsulotomy. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP) and retinal layer thickness measurements by OCT were recorded precapsulotomy and at the following visits. Mean shot energy and number, total laser energy, IOP, BCVA and OCT findings were compared between 2 groups.

Results: Despite the higher number of laser shots and total laser energy applied in circular technique group, no significant difference of central macular thicknesses at 1000, 3000, and 6000 mm was observed between two techniques.

Conclusion: The cruciate technique may be suggested to be safer than the circular technique in terms of amount of used energy. The short-term effects on the retinal layers seem to be similar in both techniques.