Histologic studies of angle structures after laser iridotomy in primates
A. L. Robin, I. P. Pollack, H. A. Quigley, S. D'Anna and E. M. Addicks
Each of nine eyes of five cynomolgus monkeys had argon laser peripheral
iridotomies performed to investigate the histologic effects on the
trabecular meshwork. The laser technique was the same as is used in human
eyes. With laser iridotomy, particulate debris was released into the
anterior chamber and rapidly accumulated in the angle. The densest initial
deposit was in the inferior juxtacanalicular trabecular meshwork.
Histologically, pigment was located both extracellularly and within giant
vacuoles of the endothelium and Schlemm's canal and intracellularly within
trabecular endothelial cells. This finding indicates that this pigment is
removed from the anterior chamber both by bulk aqueous flow and by
phagocytosis. One year after iridotomy, only a slightly increased
pigmentation of the angle was still present. No permanent ultrastructural
damage to the angle was detected.
