Clinical Study of Visual Outcome and Complications of Nd:YAG Laser Capsulotomy in Posterior Capsular Opacification Following Small Incision Cataract Surgery at a Tertiary Eye Care Centre in Rural Maharashtra - A Prospective Observational Study

BACKGROUND Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is the most common delayed complication of cataract surgery. Nd:YAG (Neodymium yttrium aluminium garnet) laser posterior capsulotomy presents the advantages of a non-invasive, effective, relatively safe technique to manage intact posterior capsule that opacifies postoperatively. With this background we want to study the visual outcome and complications following Nd-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy in posterior capsular opacification following small incision cataract surgery (SICS). METHODS The study includes 64 patients attending outpatient department of a tertiary eye care hospital at Latur from June 2018 to May 2019 who have undergone SICS with PMMA PC IOL (polymethyl methacrylate posterior chamber intraocular lens) implantation and clinically diagnosed with posterior capsular opacification. 64 eyes with PCO were subjected to Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy after detailed slit lamp bio microscopic examination pre- and post-capsulotomy. Follow-up was done at 1 hour, 1 week, 2 weeks and 4 weeks and patients were examined for visual outcome and any complications at each visit. RESULTS There were 16 males (25 %) and 48 females (75 %) with a mean age of 65 years. Posterior capsule opacification occurs within 3 years accounting for 46.9 % of the cases. Elschnig pearls type of PCO was more common when compared to fibrous type of PCO. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy was less than 6 / 60 in 35 patients (54.7 %) and within 6 / 60 to 6 / 24 in 23 patients (35. 9 %) with 6 patients (9.4 %) accounting for visual acuity between 6 / 24 to 6 / 18. After Nd - YAG Laser Capsulotomy, 46.9 % gained best corrected visual acuity of 6 / 18 or better, 39.1 % cases improved 6 / 12 and better and BCVA of 6 / 9, 6 / 6 was observed in 11 cases and 1 case respectively. Only 12 out of 64 patients had complications. Raised intraocular pressure (IOP) was found in 4 patients. Intraocular lens (IOL) pitting was found in 8 patients. CONCLUSIONS Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy is a safe, effective and a non-invasive procedure which avoids all the complications of surgical capsulotomy in patients of posterior capsule opacification. KEYWORDS Posterior capsule opacification (PCO), Nd:Yag Laser Capsulotomy, Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA), Central Subfield Macular Thickness (CSMT)