Effect of Neodymium: Yttrium-Aluminium-Garnet Laser Capsulotomy on Endothelial Cells Count in Posterior Capsular Opacification

Aim: to determine the effect of ND-YAG laser posterior capsulotomies on endothelial cells count in patients attending Ibn Al Haitham teaching eye hospital. Patients and Methods: It is a Prospective non-comparative case series study including patients with clinically significant posterior capsular opacification (PCO) attended Ibn Al Haitham teaching eye hospital from June 2016 to February 2017. Detailed history taking and complete ophthalmic examinations done for all patients, Corneal endothelial cells count was done by using non-contact specular microscopy (topcon sp 3000) before YAG laser, 1 week and 4 weeks after laser to determine the endothelial cells count. Data were analyzed by using ANOVA, F test and paired t – test. Results: Sixty-five eyes of 65 patients presented with clinically significant PCO were included, 40 patients where males (61.5%) and 25 patients females (38.5%). The mean of endothelial cells count before laser was (2047 cell/mm2), 1 week after laser (1938 cell/ mm2) and 4 weeks after laser (1916 cell/ mm2) ,the difference between pre-laser endothelial cells count and 1-4 wks after laser was (109 cell), (131 cell) respectively which is found to be significant (p value 0.04 ). Conclusion: In our study, posterior capsule opacification when treated with ND-YAG laser is associated with statistically significant reduction in the endothelial cells count. The yag laser posterior capsulotomy is noninvasive and effective modality of treatment of PCO but the corneal endothelial cells may be damaged by laser.