Management of large filtering blebs with the argon laser

Complications attributable to large conjunctival blebs after glaucoma filtering surgery range from annoying foreign-body sensation to devastating endophthalmitis. We used the argon laser to shrink large complicated blebs in four eyes of four patients who had previously undergone glaucoma filtering surgery. The eye is first anesthetized with a topical agent. The bleb surface is lightly abraded with a sterile cotton swab and then "painted" with a tissue-staining dye. Diffuse laser burns applied over the surface resulted in sufficient shrinkage to allow resolution of the respective symptoms or secondary complications in all four cases. The first two patients developed small leaks that we attribute to delivering laser burns to extremely thin areas of conjunctiva. In both cases the leaks gradually sealed over several weeks. None of the eyes developed increases in intraocular pressure or anterior segment inflammation. In each case, filtering capability was maintained.