YAG laser reconstructive surgery of the anterior eye in children: results, indications, and optimal time

By analyzing the anatomic-reconstructive, optic, and functional results of 1526 YAG laser operations made by the author in children aged 2 months to 17 years who had congenital (65.99%), posttraumatic (23.53%), and postuveal (10.48%) abnormalities of the anterior eye, the author has developed indications and contraindications and determined the optimum time of reconstructive laser interventions in papillary membranes; anterior and posterior fusions; internal fistular atresia after trabeculectomy, in umbrella iris, deformity, dislocation, atresia of the pupil; in anterior chamber cysts, cataracts, and ectopic lens. The high efficiency (93.93%) and rather low traumatism show it expedient to extensively introduce laser reconstructive surgery into pediatric ophthalmological care as a worthy alternative to instrumental surgery, which yields a reconstructive effect without eye incision, in a large proportion (46.4%) of the children who have refused anesthesia essential for microsurgery.