Effect of Nd: YAG Laser Capsulotomy Size on Visual Acuity and Posterior Segment Outcomes: A 6-Months Follow-Up Study

Posterior capsular opacification, frequently referred to as after cataract, represents the most common long-term complication following cataract surgery, including phacoemulsification and extracapsular cataract excision with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of YAG laser capsulotomy size on visual acuity outcomes and to examine intraoperative and postoperative effects in the posterior segment of eyes with posterior capsular opacification. This study was cross-sectional. YAG laser capsulotomy was performed on 102 pseudophakic eyes from 81 patients with Posterior capsular opacification (PCO). Data were collected from April 2022 to March 2023. Before and six months after the procedure, patients had full eye exams that included uncorrected visual acuity, best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and fundus evaluation, were performed preoperatively and at six months post-procedure. The mean age of patients was 60.91±12.21 years, with a predominance of individuals aged 61 to 80 years. After YAG laser capsulotomy, Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) improved significantly. In the right eye, it went from 0.88±0.23 Log MAR to 0.2025±0.097 Log MAR (p<0.001), and in the left eye, it went from 0.77±0.25 Log MAR to 0.1875±0.09 Log MAR (p<0.001). There was a higher percentage of cases without visual improvement when the capsulotomy sizes were larger, but this relationship was not statistically significant. During the six-month follow-up period, no significant intraoperative or postoperative issues were identified. YAG laser capsulotomy greatly improves vision, no matter how big the capsulotomy is. There were no major problems reported within six months of the treatment. More research is needed to look into how the size of a capsulotomy affects visual outcomes.