title: Iridotomy in the treatment of pigmentary glaucoma: documentation with high resolution ultrasound.
abstract: In pigmentary glaucoma, reverse pupillary block is one mechanism presumed possible for backward bowing of the iris leading to iris-zonular rubbing. Therefore, increasing numbers of patients are being treated by laser iridotomy. We demonstrate five patients with pigmentary glaucoma whose iris configuration was examined by high-resolution ultrasound biomicroscopy before and after laser iridotomy. Of these patients, three had a severe case of posterior iris bowing with iris-zonular rubbing. In these cases, the ultrasound biomicroscope revealed an anterior motion of the iris diaphragm after iridotomy. The other two patients had no direct iris-zonular contact and displayed a normal iris curvature that did not change after iridotomy. YAG-laser iridotomy is a prophylactic treatment in pigmentary glaucoma for a subgroup of patients in whom an iris concavity with iris-zonular rubbing can be demonstrated by high-resolution ultrasound or equivalent methods.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Augenklinik, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Lagrèze
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Funk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D007498:Iris / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography