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. 2025 Aug 27;25(1):487.
doi: 10.1186/s12886-025-04311-5.

Efficacy and safety of Nd: YAG laser vitreolysis in patients with physiological vitreous floaters

Junjie Liu #  1 , Huilin Liu #  1 , Ying Zhang  2 , Yichen Zheng  1 , Jing Li  1 , Chao Pan  1 , Ke Jiang  1 , Jianhong Cheng  3
Affiliations

Efficacy and safety of Nd: YAG laser vitreolysis in patients with physiological vitreous floaters

Junjie Liu et al. BMC Ophthalmol. .

Abstract

Purpose: To observe the clinical effects of Nd: YAG laser vitreolysis in patients with physiological vitreous floaters by A/B ultrasound and infrared fundus photography., and to evaluate the safety of the treatment by ffERG.

Methods: Thirty eyes diagnosed with physiological vitreous floaters were enrolled. Examination of BCVA, IOP, SLO, A/B ultrasound, infrared fundus photography and ffERG were performed. The vitreolysis was performed for all patients by the same skilled doctor using an ELLEX YAG laser vitreolysis machine. The IOP was measured half an hour after the operation. After treatment, the patients were followed up at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month. At follow-up, the same thorough examination as before the operation was performed. ImageJ software was used to measure the size of the vitreous floaters in the infrared fundus photography pictures before and after treatment.

Results: There was no significant difference in BCVA and IOP before and after treatment (p > 0.05). Infrared fundus photography showed that the vitreous floaters were obviously reduced or disappeared after treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). The latent period and amplitude of the five response waves of ffERG at each timepoint were compared before and after treatment, and there was no significant difference (P > 0.05). Ultra-wide angle SLO showed no severe complications in the vitreous or retina after treatment.

Conclusions: In short-term observations, Nd: YAG laser vitreolysis is safe and effective for the treatment of vitreous floaters and can be promoted clinically.

Keywords: A/B ultrasound; Full-field electroretinogram; Infrared fundus photography; Nd: YAG laser vitreolysis; Physiological vitreous floaters.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Ethics Committee approval by the Medical ethic committe of Hankou Aier Eye Hospital was obtained for the present study protocol that adhered to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consents were obtained from all the enrolled patients. Consent for publication: Not Applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A/B ultrasound showing the distance between the vitreous floater and the retina before vitreolysis, 5 mm in graph A and 3.5 mm in graph B
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Follow-up of BCVA and IOP
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
A, B and C are infrared fundus photographs showing the shape and size of the vitreous floaters before treatment. D, E and F are infrared fundus photographs showing that the vitreous floaters disappeared after Nd: YAG laser vitreolysis
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Changes in the size of the vitreous floaters before and after treatment as revealed by infrared fundus photography
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Variation trend of the amplitude value of each wavelet timepoint of ffERG (** P < 0.01)
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Variation trend of the latent period of each wavelet timepoint of ffERG (** P < 0.01)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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