Neodymium yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) laser vitreolysis versus oral iodized lecithin tablets for the management of symptomatic vitreous opacities

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the comparative therapeutic effectiveness and safety of neodymium-yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) laser vitreolysis and oral iodized lecithin tablets in treating symptomatic vitreous opacities caused by posterior vitreous detachment. Methods: 111 patients admitted to the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University China were enrolled and randomly assigned to study and control groups. The study group comprised 56 patients (58 eyes) undergoing YAG laser treatment while control group comprised 55 patients (60 eyes) taking oral iodized lecithin tablets. Visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, intraocular pressure (IOP), macular central fovea thickness, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, efficacy rates, and vitreous opacity scores were assessed in both groups before and after treatment, with follow-up at intervals. Results: No significant changes were seen in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and intraocular pressure (IOP) within or between groups after treatment. Contrast sensitivity in the study group improved significantly (p < 0.05), while control group showed no improvement. The study group also exhibited significantly higher post-treatment contrast sensitivity compared to control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, laser group displayed a significantly higher effectiveness in subjective scores (p < 0.01), while objective vitreous opacity scores differed significantly before and after treatment in both groups (p < 0.01), with intergroup differences also significant (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the study group reported better subjective outcomes and objective vitreous opacity scores after treatment (p < 0.01). There were no significant adverse reactions in either group. Conclusion: The findings show that Nd: YAG laser vitreolysis demonstrates superior efficacy compared to oral iodized lecithin tablets for treating symptomatic vitreous opacities, with no significant adverse effects. Future studies should employ a larger sample size with long-follow-up periods