[Cell loss in the posterior corneal epithelium after cataract extraction by Nd:YAG laser with wave length 1.44 mcm].

The purpose of the case study, as described in the paper, was to evaluate the cell loss in the corneal posterior epithelium (CPE) after laser cataract extraction (LCE) by means of a new laser unit designed on the basis of ND:YAG laser with a wave length of 1.44 microns. The conditions of 59 eyes with high (degrees 3-4) and extra high (degree 5) lens density were analyzed preoperatively and 3 months after LCE. Group 1 comprised 51 surgical cases, which were ideal in the technical respect; Group 2 comprised 8 surgical cases involving an intraoperative short-time lifting of the fragmentized lens mass into the eye anterior chamber during aspiration. The method of contactless endothelial biomicroscopy ("SP-1000" unit, "Topcon Co.", Japan) was made use of. According to the obtained results, it can be stated: the CPE cell loss made 1-9% (4.69 +/- 0.7%) and 1-18% (9.4 +/- 8.4%) in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. The total energy exposition level to laser radiation is the most significant factor affecting the CPE cell loss. The pulse energy radiation level did not affect the CPE cell loss. The corneal posterior surface was subject to a highly adverse impact in the fragmentation of brown cataracts. Finally, the results are indicative of an insignificant surgical trauma in LCE.