title: Neodymium: YAG and argon laser iridotomy. Long-term follow-up in a prospective, randomized clinical trial.
abstract: Neodymium:YAG (Nd:YAG) and argon laser iridotomies were compared in a prospective, randomized clinical trial of 43 patients with bilateral chronic pupillary-block glaucoma. All patients had one eye randomly assigned to argon and the fellow eye assigned to Nd:YAG laser treatment. Follow-up ranged from 20 to 42 months. Iridotomy closure was not observed in Nd:YAG-treated eyes, but nine (21%) argon iridotomies required retreatment. Visual loss due to progression of laser-induced lens or corneal damage was not observed in any eye. Nine (21%) argon-treated eyes and eight (19%) Nd:YAG-treated eyes required laser trabeculoplasty for further intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering after iridotomy. Five (12%) argon-treated and two (5%) Nd:YAG-treated eyes required intraocular filtration surgery for long-term IOP control, but this difference was not statistically significant. There were no significant long-term differences between these treatment modalities.
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Services, Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Del Priore
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Robin
authors.forename: I P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Pollack
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001128:Argon; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D007498:Iris / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009354:Neodymium; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D009354:Neodymium; D001128:Argon