Technology of preliminary radial YAG laser phacofragmentation in the surgical treatment of cataracts

Purpose. To represent the technology of preliminary radial YAG laser phacofragmentation in the surgical treatment of cataracts. Material and methods. The technology of preliminary radial YAG laser phacofragmentation has been used in the Kaluga branch of the S. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution since 2016. The basis of the technology is the transcorneal endocapsular formation of radial cracks of the lens core for its subsequent fragmentation during ultrasonic phacoemulsification of cataracts (FEC). The total number of pulses ranges from 95 to 150. Results. In the Kaluga branch of the S. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution, preliminary radial YAG laser phacofragmentation was performed on 9468 eyes with cataracts of 2–4 degrees of density from 2016 to 2023. After YAG laser fragmentation of the lens core, its radial separation occurs according to the «snowflake» type, which consists of 3 layers and «petals» extending from cavitation bubbles that clearly outline the core. The clinical and functional state of the eyes after preliminary YAG laser phacofragmentation indicated the absence of reactive inflammation from the anterior and posterior segment of the eye, which was confirmed by biomicroscopy and ultrasound ophthalmoscanning data. Conclusion. The technology of preliminary radial YAG laser phacofragmentation is a safe and effective method that allows you to achieve uniform separation of lens fibers along the formed fragmentation zones, which correspond to subsequent nuclear fracture zones during the nuclear fragmentation stage during ultrasonic FEC. Key words: radial YAG laser phacofragmentation, cataract, ultrasonic phacoemulsification of cataract