AIM:To observe and analyze visual quality changes of the patients with posterior capsule opacification(PCO)Nd:YAG laser posterior capsular dissection, including the change of the best corrected vision acuity(BCVA), total high-order aberration(tHOA), and the modulation transfer function(MTF).

METHODS:In this prospective observational study, 100 cases of patients(100 eyes)with posterior cataract underwent Nd:YAG laser posterior capsular dissection(posterior capsular diameter dissected was 5mm or higher). The mean age was 65.52±7.01 years old. The change of the BCVA was collected. The tHOA and MTF under the 3mm and 5mm pupil diameter were assessed by iTrace respectively before and after Nd:YAG laser posterior capsular dissection.

RESULTS:All the surgery went well without obvious intraoperative and postoperative complications happened. The preoperative BCVA was 0.451±0.023 while the postoperative BCVA was 0.763±0.025. The difference of BCVA before and after Nd:YAG laser surgery was statistically significant(P<0.01). At 3mm pupil diameter, the tHOA preoperative was 0.551±0.031 while the postoperative tHOA was 0.214±0.011, the differences were significance(P<0.05). At 3mm pupil diameter while the spatial frequencies(5cpd, 10cpd, 15cpd, 20cpd, 25cpd, 30cpd)respectively, the MTF tHOA value postoperative(0.644±0.023, 0.49±0.011, 0.311±0.015, 0.202±0.018, 0.056±0.027, 0.041±0.011)were significantly higher than that preoperative(0.401±0.021, 0.261±0.026, 0.179±0.012, 0.108±0.014, 0.031±0.016, 0.022±0.021), and the difference has statistical significance(P<0.05). At 5mm pupil diameter, the tHOA preoperative was 0.752±0.028 while the postoperative tHOA was 0.361±0.014, the differences were significance(P<0.01). At 5mm pupil diameter while the spatial frequencies(5cpd, 10cpd, 15cpd, 20cpd, 25cpd, 30cpd)respectively the MTF tHOA value postoperative(0.426±0.027, 0.209±0.018, 0.172±0.013, 0.116±0.015, 0.049±0.010, 0.034±0.014)were significantly higher than that preoperative(0.234±0.021, 0.102±0.019, 0.088±0.016, 0.058±0.022, 0.021±0.014, 0.016±0.011), and the difference had statistical significance(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION:Patients with posterior capsule opacification(PCO)Nd:YAG laser posterior capsular dissection can help improve BCVA, reduce tHOA, increase MTF tHOA values, and significantly improve visual quality of patients.