Vol. 3, Issue 1, Part A (2021)

Background: Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is the commonest delayed complication of cataract surgery. It is easily treated by ND YAG Laser posterior capsulotomy, which is associated with a number of documented complications. Methods: A retrospective review of the cases of ND YAG Laser posterior capsulotomy performed in Anya Specialist Eye Clinic Umuahia, Abia State from March 2019 to June 2021 was done to evaluate safety and complications. Results: Three hundred and twenty eight (328) eyes of 312 patients were found and included in the study. There were 186 females (59.6%) and 126 males (40.4%) with age range 33 to 80 years, and a mean age of 57.6 years. Complications were observed in 132 patients (40.3%) and included transient rise in intraocular pressure (22.9%), mild uveitis (8.5%), pitting of the IOL (4.9%), radial extension of the capsulotomy (3.4%); with one out of 11 eyes with radial extension developing a vitreous prolapse in the anterior chamber. Intraocular lens tilt was documented in one patient (0.3%) and one patient was observed with hair-line hyphema (0.3%) following an inadvertent hit on the iris. Conclusion: The complications of ND YAG Laser posterior capsulotomy after PCO are mostly mild and can be easily managed. It is important to be aware of the possible complications in order to prevent them where possible and manage them promptly to avoid long-term visual loss.