Peeling and aspiration of elschnig pearls! An effective alternative to Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy!

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of peeling and aspiration of Elschnig pearls. Retrospective study in a medical college hospital. Records of 217 eyes which underwent surgical peeling and aspiration for membranous PCO between 2006 and 2009, was reviewed. Peeling and aspiration was fashioned with a blunt tipped 20G cannula after stabilizing anterior chamber with anterior chamber maintainer. Post-operative vision and complications were analyzed. Mc Nemar and Chi square tests. The mean age was 56.84 years. 85.71% patients achieved best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/20 at 3 m. Recurrence of pearls, uveitis and cystoid macular edema were the most common causes of reduced vision. Peeling and aspiration of pearls seem to be a viable alternative to Neodymium yttrium garner aluminium (Nd: YAG) laser capsulotomy for membranous PCO.

Keywords

• Chemotherapy
• focal treatment
• retinoblastoma
• Allergic eye disease
• papillae
• shield ulcer
• vernal keratoconjunctivitis
• Anti-VEGF injections
• bevacizumab
• neovascular age-related macular degeneration
• ranibizumab
• submacular hemorrhage
• Emergency department
• ocular
• trauma
• work related injuries
• Ocular trauma
• open globe injury
• preoperative (initial) visual acuity
• prognostic factors
• relative afferent pupillary defect
• Configuration
• choroidal neovascular membrane
• foveal slope
• foveal thickness
• neovascular age-related macular degeneration
• macular pigment
• Descemet membrane
• keratoplasty
• optical coherence tomography
• Central serous chorioretinopathy
• epidural steroid
• retinal pigment epithelium detachment
• retinal pigment epithelium tear
• Self-inflicted
• ocular injury
• needle
• Anterior chamber maintainer
• best corrected visual acuity
• neodymium yttrium aluminium garnet laser
• ocular visco-surgical device
• posterior capsule opacification