Analysis of influencing factors associated with the time between cataract surgery and Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy.

Purpose: To retrospectively analyze the clinical data of large samples of YAG laser posterior capsulotomy, and to explore the influencing factors of time from cataract surgery to YAG laser capsulotomy (TFCSTLC), so as to provide reference for the occurrence and treatment of real-world posterior capsular opacification (PCO).

Methods: 1093 patients (1093 eyes) with PCO who underwent YAG laser posterior capsulotomy from 2014 to 2019 in the largest eye center of northwest China were analyzed retrospectively. The gender, age, systemic complications, material, and design of intraocular lens (IOL) and TFCSTLC were recorded. The test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were applied to analyze and compare the average TFCSTLC values under different factors, and the relationship between each factor and TFCSTLC was analyzed by multiple linear regression.

Results: The average TFCSTLC was 19.2 (range, 7.9 ∼ 31.2) months. There were significant statistical differences in TFCSTLC among the implanted single focus versus multifocal IOLs ( < 0.001), diabetic versus non-diabetic patients ( < 0.001), high myopia versus non-high myopia patients ( = 0.003). Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that TFCSTLC was negatively correlated in patients with diabetes mellitus versus with no history of diabetes mellitus (coefficient, -5.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], -8.30 to -2.41;  < 0 .001), and multifocal IOL versus a single focus IOL implanted (coefficient, -5.56 ; 95% CI, -9.01 to -2.11;  = 0.002).

Conclusions: TFCSTLC may be affected by many factors in the real world. The YAG laser posterior capsulotomy time was sooner in patients with a history of diabetes mellitus and multifocal IOL implanted.