A Case of Nd: YAG Laser Injury to the Macula

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We report one case of macular injury by Nd YAG laser during aiming of the laser beam. METHODS: A 34-year-old man injured his right eye accidentally while aiming a Nd YAG laser. He was referred to our ophthalmologic department because of diminished vision in the right eye at 2 hours after the accident. Central scotoma was noted. Best corrected visual acuity was 0.02 in the right eye. On fundus examination there were preretinal hemorrhage on the fovea, a full thickness macular hole of 1/3 optic disc diameter, parafoveal retinal edema and vitreous hemorrhage on inferior fundus. Seven days after the accident, a star shaped subretinal fibrosis and scar formation were seen on fundus examination and fluorescein angiography showed star shaped hyperfluorescence area on the fovea. Three months after the accident preretinal and vitreous hemorrhage were resolved and the macular hole was closed spontaneously, but the subretinal scar and fibrosis progressed and best corrected visual acuity remained as 0.02 in the right eye. RESULTS: Visual acuity was severely decreased due to Nd YAG laser injury to the macula.