Argon laser iridotomy in primary angle-closure or pupillary block glaucoma. 1980

L W Schwartz, and G L Spaeth

This paper describes the use of a pulsed argon laser to perform iridotomies in 87 patients. Diagnosis include: primary angle closure glaucoma, narrow angle in the fellow eye of patients with primary angle glaucoma, pupillary block, and after incomplete surgical iridectomies. Laser iridotomy was achieved in 79% of patients. Blue eyes were slightly more difficult to penetrate. Success was almost 100% in those with pupillary block. Penetration was most difficult in patients with primary angle closure glaucoma (64%), but more easily accomplished in the fellow eyes of such cases (87%). In 13 patients surgical peripheral iridectomy was performed on one eye while the other eye was treated with laser iridotomy. No apparent significant long term differences were noted between the two eyes of the same individual. Complications of laser iridotomy include corneal burns, pupil distortion, synechia formation, lenticular opacities, iritis, marked pigment dispersion, sudden rise in intraocular pressure, and retinal burns. At this time a longer follow-up is required before it can be stated that a laser PI is more advantageous than a surgical PI. However, the laser's simplicity and ease of administration appear to warrant its continued use at this time.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007498 Iris The most anterior portion of the uveal layer, separating the anterior chamber from the posterior. It consists of two layers - the stroma and the pigmented epithelium. Color of the iris depends on the amount of melanin in the stroma on reflection from the pigmented epithelium.
D007834 Lasers An optical source that emits photons in a coherent beam. Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (LASER) is brought about using devices that transform light of varying frequencies into a single intense, nearly nondivergent beam of monochromatic radiation. Lasers operate in the infrared, visible, ultraviolet, or X-ray regions of the spectrum. Masers,Continuous Wave Lasers,Pulsed Lasers,Q-Switched Lasers,Continuous Wave Laser,Laser,Laser, Continuous Wave,Laser, Pulsed,Laser, Q-Switched,Lasers, Continuous Wave,Lasers, Pulsed,Lasers, Q-Switched,Maser,Pulsed Laser,Q Switched Lasers,Q-Switched Laser
D008722 Methods A series of steps taken in order to conduct research. Techniques,Methodological Studies,Methodological Study,Procedures,Studies, Methodological,Study, Methodological,Method,Procedure,Technique
D005901 Glaucoma An ocular disease, occurring in many forms, having as its primary characteristics an unstable or a sustained increase in the intraocular pressure which the eye cannot withstand without damage to its structure or impairment of its function. The consequences of the increased pressure may be manifested in a variety of symptoms, depending upon type and severity, such as excavation of the optic disk, hardness of the eyeball, corneal anesthesia, reduced visual acuity, seeing of colored halos around lights, disturbed dark adaptation, visual field defects, and headaches. (Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed) Glaucomas
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001128 Argon A noble gas with the atomic symbol Ar, atomic number 18, and atomic weight 39.948. It is used in fluorescent tubes and wherever an inert atmosphere is desired and nitrogen cannot be used. Argon-40,Argon 40
D053685 Laser Therapy The use of photothermal effects of LASERS to coagulate, incise, vaporize, resect, dissect, or resurface tissue. Laser Knife,Laser Scalpel,Surgery, Laser,Vaporization, Laser,Laser Ablation,Laser Knives,Laser Photoablation of Tissue,Laser Surgery,Laser Tissue Ablation,Nonablative Laser Treatment,Pulsed Laser Tissue Ablation,Ablation, Laser,Ablation, Laser Tissue,Knife, Laser,Knifes, Laser,Knive, Laser,Knives, Laser,Laser Knifes,Laser Knive,Laser Scalpels,Laser Surgeries,Laser Therapies,Laser Treatment, Nonablative,Laser Treatments, Nonablative,Laser Vaporization,Nonablative Laser Treatments,Scalpel, Laser,Scalpels, Laser,Surgeries, Laser,Therapies, Laser,Therapy, Laser,Tissue Ablation, Laser

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