Nd:YAG "sweeping"--an indirect technique for clearing intraocular lens deposits.

Corticosteroid-resistant deposits on the anterior surface of intraocular lenses (IOLs) in 11 patients who had complained of poor vision were "swept" with a Neodymium:YAG laser beam. As contrasted with previous "direct hit" methods, our method is indirect, using a low-power, defocused beam to generate an acoustic shock-wave, which then sweeps the lens surface clear of deposits. The deposits were cleared in all 11 patients, with no damage to the IOL or any other postlaser complications. Improvement in visual acuity ranged from 1 to 3 lines, and all the patients reported alleviation of symptoms.