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Abstract #6227 Published in IGR 2-2
Membrane formation in the chamber angle after failure of argon laser trabeculoplasty (letter)
Hollo GBritish Journal of Ophthalmology 2000; 84: 673-674
The corresponding author comments on an article by Koller et al. on membrane formation in the anterior chamber angle after argon laser trabeculoplasty. He agrees with these authors that laser-induced inflammation is a possible factor of subacute and late membrane formation over the trabecular meshwork. In his own studies he found that the link to the success of ALT was significantly shorter when it received no topical anti-inflammatory medication. He also answers the question regarding whether the risk of membrane formation is similar after ALT, after using different lasers. He found that the presence of a membrane over the trabecular meshwork was much greater after ALT than after Nd:YAG laser trabeculoplasty in the same patients. These findings suggest that the type of laser or its thermal effect are also an important factor when the causes of late failure are discussed. The corresponding author disagrees with the original authors regarding whether the immediate IOP spikes after ALT were caused by prostaglandins or inflammation. It has been shown that the trabecular meshwork contains contractile elements that are contracted by endothelin. In some studies, very high endothelin concentrations were already found in the aqueous humor 30 minutes after ALT. The corresponding author concludes that the acute pressure spike after ALT is caused by endothelin release from the uveal tissue and that long-term pressure elevations are promoted by inflammation.
Classification:
12.4 Laser trabeculoplasty and other laser treatment of the angle (Part of: 12 Surgical treatment)
