Influence of neodymium:YAG laser capsulotomy on ocular wavefront aberrations in pseudophakic eyes with hydrophilic and hydrophobic intraocular lenses

Abstract

Purpose: To study the influence of neodymium:YAG (Nd:YAG) laser capsulotomy on ocular wavefront aberrations.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium.

Methods: The wavefront aberrations in pseudophakic eyes with posterior capsule opacification (PCO) were measured with an iTrace aberrometer before and after Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy. These results were analyzed using Zernike coefficients, the total and higher-order root-mean-square (RMS) values, and the wavefront peak-valley difference. In addition, a separate evaluation was performed of 2 intraocular lens (IOL) types: the hydrophilic 92S (hydrophilic IOL subgroup) and the hydrophobic AcrySof SA60AT (hydrophobic IOL subgroup).

Results: The study evaluated 62 pseudophakic eyes (56 patients). The RMS values in all eyes decreased significantly after Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy; the mean decrease in total RMS was 0.186 microm +/- 0.445 (SD) and in higher-order RMS, 0.138 +/- 0.223 microm. The decrease in total RMS (mean 0.325 +/- 0.372 microm) was significant in the hydrophobic IOL subgroup (n = 14) but not in the hydrophilic IOL subgroup. Before capsulotomy, there was a statistically significant difference between the 2 subgroups in the higher-order astigmatism coefficient C(4,-2). After laser capsulotomy, the difference was significantly less.

Conclusion: Neodymium:YAG laser capsulotomy significantly reduced the wavefront RMS in the hydrophobic IOL subgroup but not in the hydrophilic IOL subgroup. The difference in the wavefront before capsulotomy may originate from a difference in the healing response of the capsular bag between the 2 IOL types.