Iris photocoagulation therapy of aphakic pupillary block.
Five patients who underwent uneventful cataract extraction developed flat anterior chamber (AC) secondary to pupillary block, 2 1/2 to 4 weeks postoperatively. None had a wound leak. After drug therapy had failed to restore the AC, iris photocoagulation was performed. Four eyes were treated with a xenon-arc photocoagulator, and one with both a portable xenon-arc unit and an argon laser. The AC deepened immediately and permanently in all cases. No complications occurred, and visual acuity was good. Iris photocoagulation with a xenon-arc unit is a valid alternative to intraocular surgery in therapy for flat AC that is caused by aphakic pupillary block in patients in whom medicinal therapy fails and no wound leak is present.
D000368:Aged; D000867:Anterior Chamber; D001128:Argon; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007498:Iris / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D007834:Lasers / Q000379:methods; D008028:Light Coagulation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011680:Pupil; D014978:Xenon
D014978:Xenon; D001128:Argon