Intraocular Pressure Changes After Neodymium-YAG Laser Capsulotomy in Eyes Pretreated With Timolol

Abstract

• Sixty eyes undergoing Q-switched neodymium-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy were randomly assigned to pretreatment with either 0.5% timolol maleate or placebo. Half of the eyes in each group underwent capsulotomies performed with six 2-mJ bursts of energy, and the remaining eyes underwent capsulotomies performed with three 4-mJ bursts of energy. There was no significant difference in pressure responses between eyes treated with 2 or 4 mJ. The mean rise in intraocular pressure was significantly less in the timolol-pretreated group one hour after capsulotomy. After four hours, the difference between groups was not significant. Pretreating with timolol did not prevent late pressure rises. Nonpseudophakic eyes were more likely to sustain pressure increases greater than 10 mm than were pseudophakic eyes.