Iridotomy with a ruby laser.

Extensive experience with animals has shown that it is possible to irradiate the iris with a ruby laser without damage to the cornea, lens, or retina (Hallman, Perkins, Watts, and Wheeler, I 968, I969). The possible use of a laser to make an iridotomy for therapeutic purposes was appreciated by Flocks and Zweng (i964), and Zweng, Flocks, Kampany, Silbertrust, and Peppers (I964) reported two attempts to perform this in human eyes. In neither case was a complete iridotomy produced, but holes were produced in two pigmented irides by Zweng, Paris, Vassiliadis, Rose, and Hayes (I970). Some success in treating a small series of cases of closed-angle glaucoma and secondary glaucoma due to iris bombe has been reported (Perkins, I970, I971), and this paper is an attempt to evaluate the clinical application of laser iridotomy from the results of treating more than forty eyes.