Effect of Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy on higher order aberrations in different types of posterior capsule opacification: A prospective study.

Purpose: To evaluate higher order aberrations (HOA) in different types of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) and analyze its changes fosllowing Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy (LPC).

Settings: Tertiary care ophthalmic hospital.

Design: Prospective, comparative, observational study.

Methods: One hundred ninety-three pseudophakic eyes with PCO were evaluated over 3 months. PCO was classified into pearly, fibrous, and mixed types. Their uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), evaluation of posterior capsule opacification (EPCO) scoring and root mean square values of HOA (total, coma, spherical, and trefoil) were measured using a wavefront aberrometer before and after LPC.

Results: Pearly, fibrous, and mixed PCO were observed in 89 (46.1%), 47 (24.4%), and 57 (29.5%) eyes respectively. The UCVA and CDVA showed improvement in all types of PCO post-procedure. The total HOA was 0.48 ± 0.47, 0.43 ± 0.42, 0.37 ± 0.34, and 0.76 ± 0.53, the coma aberrations were 0.18 ± 0.15, 0.18 ± 0.14, and 0.19 ± 0.19, spherical aberrations were 0.07 ± 0.12, 0.09 ± 0.12, and 0.05 ± 0.06, whereas the trefoil aberrations were 0.35 ± 0.44, 0.24 ± 0.26, and 0.21 ± 0.20, 15-day post-Nd:YAG LPC in pearly, fibrous, and mixed PCO respectively, all of which showed a significant reduction. The EPCO score showed no significant difference between different subtypes of PCO and had no correlation with the HOA.

Conclusions: Post Nd:YAG LPC showed improvement in visual acuity with significant reduction in HOA in all types of PCO.