Objective assessment of YAG laser vitreolysis in patients with symptomatic vitreous floaters

• Main Authors: Carlos E. Souza, Luiz H. Lima, Heloísa Nascimento, Claudio Zett, Rubens Belfort
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2020-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Retina and Vitreous
• Subjects: Color fundus photograph; NEI VFQ-25 questionnaire; Vitreous floaters; Vitreolysis; YAG laser
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40942-019-0205-8

Abstract Background To objectively evaluate YAG laser vitreolysis for symptomatic vitreous floaters using color photo imaging. Methods In this interventional and prospective study, 32 eyes of 32 patients with symptomatic vitreous floaters secondary to posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) were treated with a single session of yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser. Primary outcomes were objective and subjective changes measured by masked grading of color fundus photographs and National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire 25 (NEI VFQ-25), respectively. Secondary outcomes included Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and adverse events. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyze the results of the objective and subjective assessments at each time point. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Thirty-two patients (32 eyes; 13 men and 19 women) with symptomatic vitreous floaters were enrolled in this study (mean age: 59.4 years). All study patients were followed up for 6 months. Following the laser vitreolysis, there was a statistically significant improvement in both the near visual function (z = − 2.97; p = 0.003; r = 0.633) and visual disturbance rate (z = − 3.97; p < 0.001; r = 0.84). Distance visual function did not show statistically significant difference after the laser procedure (p = 1.00). Color fundus photograph did reveal vitreous opacity improvement over time in 93.7% of study eyes (partial improvement in 37.5% and total improvement in 56.2% of study eyes). During the follow-up period, recurrence of vitreous floaters, BCVA deterioration and adverse events were not observed. Conclusions YAG laser vitreolysis decreased the amount of vitreous floaters opacities seen on color fundus imaging and improved related symptoms according to the NEI VFQ-25 responses.