A Changes of Anterior Segment Biometry By Peripheral Laser Iridotomy in Eye With Shallow Anterior Chamber

Joo Hwa Lee

Purpose: To identify the impact of the presence of peripheral anterior synechia on the depth of anterior segment in patients with a shallow anterior chamber after peripheral laser iridotomy by analyzing changes in the anterior segment biometry using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM).

Methods: Twenty eyes of twenty patients with peripheral anterior synechia and shallow anterior chamber, and another twenty eyes of twenty patients with shallow anterior chamber without peripheral anterior synechia were studied. The changes in the anterior segment biometry for each group of patients depending on the presence of peripheral anterior synechia were examined using gonioscopy and ultrasound biomicroscopy before and after the peripheral laser iridotomy.

Results: The central corneal thickness and scleral thickness of the two groups did not show significant differences (p>0.05). However their anterior chamber depths, anterior chamber angles, trabecular meshwork-iris distances, and angle-opening distances 500 increased significantly after the peripheral laser iridotomy (p<0.05) in both groups. Even though the increase in the anterior segment biometry was higher in the group of patients with a peripheral anterior synechia, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant.

Conclusions: Peripheral laser iridotomy can increase the depth of anterior chamber regardless of the presence of peripheral anterior synechia.