[Surgical iridectomy following acute angle-closure glaucoma. A retrospective study of 107 patients]

In 69 of 107 patients with primary angle-closure glaucoma, it was possible to control intraocular pressure and visual fields by means of peripheral surgical iridectomy; in 17 of these patients topical glaucoma medication was required in addition. In 11 cases a second surgical operation other than iridectomy was necessary: 6 lensectomies for malignant glaucoma in 2 cases and lens subluxation or phacomorphic glaucoma in 4 and 5 filtering procedures. Among the 85 treated fellow eyes 68 were controlled by iridectomy alone and 17 eyes needed additional topical glaucoma medication. One case of persisting wound leakage from the corneo/scleral wound was the only complication observed in this study. The advantages and disadvantages of peripheral surgical iridectomy are compared with those of argon and neodymium: YAG iridotomies. Owing to the low rate of complications the authors apply the surgical approach as the routine technique for primary angleclosure glaucoma.