title: Argon peripheral iridotomy and cataract formation.
abstract: The records of 74 patients with primary angle-closure glaucoma were reviewed. Cataract formation in 103 eyes treated with argon laser were compared with eyes in an age- and sex-matched, randomly-selected control group to determine whether cataract formation was hastened by laser iridotomy. Twenty-three percent of eyes in the study group showed development of cataracts 29.9 months after laser treatment. This did not differ from the incidence of cataract formation (20%) in the same group before laser exposure (P = .357) and was significantly lower than the 49% incidence of cataracts observed in the age-matched control group (P less than .001). These data demonstrate the safety of laser iridotomy in the treatment of narrow-angle glaucoma.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Jersey City 07304.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Maltzman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007498:Iris / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies