Atlıhan Yusuf Samet, Erkan Pota Çisil, Çetinkaya Yaprak Aslı
Department of Ophthalmology, Akdeniz University Hospital, 07070, Antalya, Konyaaltı, Turkey.
Int Ophthalmol. 2025 Sep 27;45(1):391. doi: 10.1007/s10792-025-03751-8.
To investigate microvascular changes in the retina and choriocapillaris using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) following neodymium:yttrium-aluminium-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser capsulotomy for posterior capsule opacification (PCO), a delayed finding that can be commonly observed after cataract surgery.
Thirty-four eyes of 34 patients undergoing Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy were included. Comprehensive ophthalmologic examination and OCT-A imaging were performed before, one week, and one month after the procedure. Retinal thickness, ganglion cell layer (GCL), retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and vessel densities in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and choriocapillaris (CC) were evaluated.
Following laser treatment, anterior chamber depth (ACD) increased, the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) enlarged, and vessel densities in the central regions of both the SCP and DCP decreased significantly (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). Additional reductions were also observed in some parafoveal and CC quadrants (Table 4). No statistically significant changes were observed in intraocular pressure (IOP), spherical equivalent (SE), axial length (AL), macular thickness, or choroidal thickness (all p > 0.05).
Our findings indicate that retinal blood flow and vessel density may decrease following Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy; however, the clinical significance of these microvascular changes remains unclear. OCT-A appears to be a promising, non-invasive modality for monitoring retinal microcirculation in patients undergoing this procedure. Nonetheless, further prospective and longitudinal studies are necessary to clarify the long-term consequences and potential functional outcomes of these vascular alterations.
使用光学相干断层扫描血管造影（OCT-A）研究钕：钇铝石榴石（Nd：YAG）激光后囊切开术治疗后囊膜混浊（PCO）后视网膜和脉络膜毛细血管的微血管变化，这是白内障手术后常见的延迟性表现。
纳入34例接受Nd：YAG激光后囊切开术患者的34只眼。在手术前、术后1周和1个月进行全面的眼科检查和OCT-A成像。评估视网膜厚度、神经节细胞层（GCL）、视网膜神经纤维层（RNFL）以及浅表毛细血管丛（SCP）、深层毛细血管丛（DCP）和脉络膜毛细血管（CC）的血管密度。
激光治疗后，前房深度（ACD）增加，黄斑无血管区（FAZ）扩大，SCP和DCP中心区域的血管密度显著降低（分别为p = 0.002、p < 0.001、p < 0.001和p < 0.001）。在一些黄斑旁和CC象限也观察到额外的降低（表4）。眼压（IOP）、等效球镜度（SE）、眼轴长度（AL）、黄斑厚度或脉络膜厚度均未观察到统计学显著变化（均p > 0.05）。
我们的研究结果表明，Nd：YAG激光后囊切开术后视网膜血流和血管密度可能降低；然而，这些微血管变化的临床意义仍不清楚。OCT-A似乎是监测接受该手术患者视网膜微循环的一种有前景的非侵入性方法。尽管如此，仍需要进一步的前瞻性和纵向研究来阐明这些血管改变的长期后果和潜在功能结局。
