Short exposure times in argon laser iridotomy.

Abstract

Currently employed techniques utilizing a continuous wave argon laser for the production of peripheral iridotomies in the treatment of angle-closure glaucoma are successful in producing patient iridotomies; however, complications such as corneal, lenticular, and retinal burns have been experienced. We found that a combination of low energy, much shorter exposures and an overlapping stretch pattern also gave a high success ratio in terms of formation of a patent iridotomy while reducing the number of complications for both black and white patients. Highly encouraging was the absence of corneal edema of a severity sufficient to cause an interruption in the treatment.