Vision-related quality of life in posterior capsule opacification patients after Nd∶YAG laser capsulotomy

Background Posterior capsular opacification (PCO) is a main complication after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens(IOL) implantation,and its primary treatment is capsulotomy.However,the study on quality of life after Nd∶YAG laser posterior capsulotomy is lack.Objective This study was to evaluate visual acuity-and vision-related quality of life in the patients who received Nd ∶ YAG laser posterior capsulotomy.Methods Two hundred PCO patients (250 eyes) undergoing Nd∶YAG laser posterior capsulotomy were included in this prospective study from September 2012 to December 2012 in Affiliated Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College.The visual acuities of the patients were graded into without and with mild visual damage (grade 1),moderate visual damage (grade 2),serious visual damage (grade 3) and blindness (grade 4).Nd ∶ YAG laser capsulotomy was performed on all the patients by the same surgeon.The main observation indexes of this study included visual acuities and scores of National Eye Institute-Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (NEI-VFQ-25).The monocular and binocular acuities as well as the NEI-VFQ-25 questionnaire scores were compared before and 3 weeks after operation.Each item in the questionnaire table was divided into 0-4 scores,and the accumulated points were used as assessing result.Results The binocular vision (LogMAR) and NEI-VFQ-25 questionnaire scores were 0.47±0.44 and 59.1± 13.0 in preoperation,0.30±0.30 and 72.1 ± 15.9 in postoperation,respectively,showing significant enhancements in vision and questionnaire scores after operation (t =11.38,22.01,both at P＜0.05).The scores of each item from NEI-VFQ-25 table,such as general health status,overall vision,eye pain,near activities,distant activities,social functional,mental health,social role difficulties,independency,driving,color vision,perimetry,were improved 3 weeks after operation compared to before operation (all at P＜0.05).The overall scores of NEI-VFQ-25 questionnaire were significantly elevated between before and after operation in various visual damage groups (t =21.20,8.39,3.18,all at P＜0.05).Conclusions Visual acuity associated with vision-related quality of life questionnaires is an objective evaluating index for the patients following Nd∶YAG laser capsulotomy. Key words: Lens capsule, crystalline/surgery;  Laser therapy;  Lasers, solid-state/therapeutic use; Prospective study;  Questionnaire;  Quality of life;  Vision;  Posterior capsule opacification