PCO prevention: primary posterior laser-assisted capsulotomy

Session Details

Session Title: PCO. Cataract Surgery Complications/Management

Session Date/Time: Tuesday 08/09/2015 | 08:00-10:30

Paper Time: 09:24

Venue: Room 1

First Author: : B.Dick GERMANY

Co Author(s): :    Y. Haeussler-Sinangin   E. Holtmann   T. Schultz              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is the most frequent long-term complication of modern cataract surgery and leads to significantly reduced visual acuity. We describe surgical results of the new technique to perform a primary posterior laser-assisted capsulotomy (PPLC) after intraocular lens (IOL) implantation to prevent posterior capsule opacification.

Setting:

Ruhr University Eye Hospital, Bochum, Germany.

Methods:

After IOL implantation, a thin layer of ophthalmic viscosurgical device (OVD) was injected between the IOL optic and the posterior capsule. After sterile re-docking to the laser system, the IOL-optic, OVD-layer, the posterior capsule and Berger's space was identified using 3D SD OCT. The treatment zone was positioned on the posterior capsule.

Results:

The size of the Berger's space was measured in 165 patients after IOL implantation. In 112 (68%) patients the central distance between posterior capsule and anterior hyaloid surface was 400 µm or greater. In these cases a PPLC can be performed as last surgical step without compromising the anterior hyaloid membrane. In a first case series it was possible to perform a PPLC with intact vitreous in 82 % of the cases. A 360° cut was successfully accomplished in all treated cases.

Conclusions:

A large Berger's space was detected intraoperatively in a large proportion of patients. The described techniques for PPLC has the potential to prevent and solve posterior capsule opacification in many routine cases.

Financial Interest:

One of the authors gains financially from product or procedure presented