To evaluate the risk factors and incidence of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) posterior capsulotomy due to posterior capsular opacification in adult cataract patients under 50 years of age according to different age groups.

We retrospectively studied 280 eyes that received phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation. The total observation period was 26.2 months on average. The subjects were divided into 3 different age groups, 20's, 30's and 40's to evaluate the incidence of posterior capsulotomy. Risk factors based on gender, age, type of cataract, type of intraocular lens (IOLs), axial length, existence of diabetes mellitus, history of ocular trauma, atopic dermatitis and refractive surgery were also investigated using statistical analysis.

The incidence of posterior capsulotomy was 13.9% (39 of 280 eyes) and statistically significant differences were not observed based on age (7.7% in the 20's group, 13.8% in the 30's group and 14.4% in the 40's group, p =0.595). We divided subjects into 3 different groups based on axial length, below 22 mm, 22 to 26 mm and over 26 mm; posterior capsulotomy was performed in 0% (0/2), 7.2% (12/166) and 24.1% (27/112) of the patients, respectively, showing the longer axial length resulted in statistically significant increase in the incidence of posterior capsulotomy ( p =0.036). The incidence of posterior capsulotomy was higher in females than in males ( p =0.006). Correlations among posterior capsulotomy and type of cataract, type of IOLs and existence of diabetes mellitus, history of ocular trauma, atopic dermatitis and refractive surgery were not statistically significant.

The difference in the incidence of Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy according to age was not statistically significant in adult cataract patients under 50 years of age. We showed that longer axial length resulted in higher risk of posterior capsulotomy.