[Healing of argon laser lesions of the rabbit iris (author's transl)]

Healing of perforating and low dose argon laser lesions of pigmented rabbit irides was studied by light microscopy. Low dose coagulation produced brown stained areas with fibrinous exudation of the surrounding tissue. Healing proceeded with little infiltration of leucocytes leading to an atrophic iris scar with numerous pigment macrophages. Laser iridotomies were closed within 28 days by a scar, shaped by proliferating cells and newly formed collagen fibrils. Lesions of the epithelium of the lens were demonstrated by hemalum staining of the nuclei, even in cases, when no lens opacities could be detected by biomicroscopy.