[Elevation of intraocular pressure following Nd-YAG laser capsulotomy. Pathogenesis and preventive therapy]

Nd: YAG laser capsulotomy is a well-established method of opening an opacified posterior lens capsule after extracapsular cataract extraction. The most frequent complication following this procedure is a transient rise in intraocular pressure (IOP) occurring during the first few hours following treatment. In most cases the IOP returns to normal within 24 hours. Occasionally, however, it can increase excessively, causing a vision-threatening complication. The prospective study reported here dealt with the pressure elevation in 60 eyes of 60 patients and the characteristics of aqueous outflow in this critical phase. Tonometric and tonographic findings were compared under the influence of topical indometacin and beta-blocker in combination with pilocarpine 2%. Twenty eyes served as untreated controls. Topical indometacin pretreatment had no positive effect on IOP and aqueous outflow, while beta-blocker and pilocarpine 2% prevented a postoperative elevation of IOP.