Safety of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery: assessment of aqueous humour and lens capsule.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) on aqueous humour and lens capsule.


METHODS
This prospective randomized comparative study enrolled 19 eyes that underwent FLACS as the trial group and 20 eyes that underwent conventional phacoemulsification as the control group. The femtosecond laser platform (LLS-fs 3D; LensAR, Orlando, FL, USA) was used to generate capsulotomy (laser energy 8 μJ) and lens fragmentation (laser energy 10 μJ). Morphology of the cutting edge and cells of anterior capsule was assessed by light microscopy. The proteins in the aqueous humour were identified by mass spectrometry (Ultraflex III TOF/TOF; Bruker Dalton, Bremen, Germany). Electrolyte in the aqueous humour was detected by a chemistry analyzer (Aeroset Clinical Chemistry Analyzer; Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL, USA).


RESULTS
The cutting edge of anterior capsule was saw-tooth-shaped under magnification of 200× and 400× in the trial group, while it was smooth in the control group. Intact cells were found in the boundary area next to the cutting edge of anterior capsule in both groups. β-Crystallin B1, γ-crystallin S and transferrin were detected in the aqueous humour in the trial group. The concentrations of K+, Na+and Cl-in the aqueous humour in the trial group differed significantly from those in the control group (p = 0.02, 0.03 and 0.04, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) causes release of transferrin and crystallin from lens to aqueous humour and results in significant changes in the concentrations of K+, Na+and Cl-in aqueous humour. However, these changes due to FLACS have no clinical significance or toxicity.
The Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China. yaybetter@hotmail.com.
A-Yong
AY
Yu
The Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Cai-Xia
CX
Lin
The Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Qin-Mei
QM
Wang
The Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Mei-Qing
MQ
Zheng
The Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Xiao-Yi
XY
Qin
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D002712:Chlorides / Q000378:metabolism; D003459:Crystallins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D061250:Transferrins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance / Q000502:physiology*
D002712:Chlorides; D003459:Crystallins; D061250:Transferrins; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium
aqueous humour; cataract; femtosecond laser; lens capsule