FREQUENCY OF ACUTE RISE OF INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE FOLLOWING YAG LASER POSTERIOR CAPSULOTOMY

Background: Posterior capsular opacification (PCO) is the most frequent complication of cataract surgery. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of acute rise of intraocular pressure (IOP) following Neodymium-Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:Yag) laser posterior capsulotomy. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology, HMC, Peshawar, Pakistan, from July-December 2016. Sample size was 325 selected by consecutive sampling technique. Inclusion criteria were all patients having significant PCO after uneventful cataract surgery with intra ocular lens implant. Demographic variables were sex, age groups and age in years. Research variable was presence of acute rise of IOP following Yag laser capsulotomy. Pre-laser assessment included slit lamp examination and recording of IOP with Goldmann applanation tonometer by a single ophthalmologist. IOP was measured 3 hours after Nd: Yag laser capsulotomy. Rise in IOP was labeled when IOP was ≥5 mmhg from baseline. Mean ±SD was used to express quantitative variables like age. Categorical variables were analyzed as frequency and percentage. Goodness-of-fit was applied to compare the frequency of acute rise in IOP between sample and population. SPSS-20 was used for data entry and its analysis. Results: Out of 325 patients, 170(52.3%) were men and 155(47.7%) were women. The mean age of the sample was 44.92 ±23.843 years. A total of 107(32.9%) patients were 20-39 years old whereas 218(67.1%) were 40-70 years. IOP was raised in 61 (18.8%) patients while in 264(81.2%) patients it was not raised. The frequency of acute rise in IOP after Yag laser capsulotomy was significantly different in sample compared to population. Conclusion: Men were more than women, especially of old age. The frequency of acute rise in IOP after Yag laser capsulotomy was significantly different in sample compared to population.