SUMMARY
Purpose:
Study of intraocular pressure (lOP) alteration in pseudophakic patients after Nd: YA G laser posterior capsulotomy, using or not apraclonidine eyedrops and evaluation of the efficacy and safety of the drug.
Methods:
Thirty pseudophakic nonglaucomatous eyes were submitted to capsulotomy. Eleven of them, without medication, belonged to group I (contral). The remaining 19 had been treated previously with apraclonidine 1% eyedrops one hour before the laser posterior capsulotomy and during laser application (group JI). The lOP was measured five times at predetermined times. Some parameters, such as capsule opacification type, shot power of the laser and posterior capsule opening diameter, were preestabilised.
Results:
In group I, 82% of the eyes had an average IOP increase of 8.4 mmHg (+61%) at the 3rd hour. In group II, 84% of the eyes had an average IOP decrease of 2.5 mmHg (-19%) at the 3rd hour. The average IOP of group I was twice that of group II.
Conclusions:
The prophylatic use of apraclonidine 1% eyedrops reduces the incidence and magnitude of IOP increase after YAG laser.
Keywords:
Apraclonidine; Capsulotomy; Nd:YAG laser; Intraocular pressure