Endothelial corneal damage after neodymium:YAG laser treatment: pupillary membranectomies, iridotomies, capsulotomies.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the corneal changes after Nd:YAG laser pupillary membranectomies (group A), iridotomies (group B), and capsulotomies (group C) in a follow-up period of 6 months.


METHODS
The Nd:YAG laser was applied to 3 different groups of patients. Specular microscopy, including the counting of corneal thickness and cell density, the percentage of hexagonal cells, and the cell area, was performed preoperatively and postoperatively.


RESULTS
Some dark areas were recorded in the corneal endothelium in groups A and B. A nonstatistically significant decrease of cell density was recorded by the end of the first month. A significant loss of endothelial cells during the sixth month was recorded in groups A and C.


CONCLUSIONS
The appearance of dark areas in the corneal endothelium is mainly related to the total energy delivered. The YAG laser treatments do not provoke an immediate and conspicuous loss of the endothelial cells, but may act as a stimulus for an accelerated loss of endothelial cells.
Kozobolis
V P
VP
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Crete, Greece.
Detorakis
E T
ET
Vlachonikolis
I G
IG
Pallikaris
I G
IG
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000535:Aluminum; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007498:Iris / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008566:Membranes / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009354:Neodymium; D011680:Pupil; D015019:Yttrium
D009354:Neodymium; D015019:Yttrium; D000535:Aluminum