Argon laser pretreatment in Nd:YAG iridotomy

Abstract

Argon laser pretreatment prior to Nd:YAG laser iridotomy may decrease the incidence of operative hemorrhage. In a prospective, randomized clinical trial involving 12 patients (24 eyes), one eye was randomly assigned treatment with the Nd:YAG laser alone, while the other eye was pretreated with argon laser photocoagulation immediately prior to Nd:YAG laser. Eight of the 12 eyes (67%) treated with Nd:YAG laser alone had operative hemorrhages; only 2 of the 12 (17%) pretreated eyes did. Thus, argon laser pretreatment significantly reduced the incidence of hemorrhage during Nd:YAG iridotomy (P = .012).