This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Corneal Disorders  • Laser Surgery  • Randomized Controlled Trial  • Alert me on articles by topic  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Yasuaki Yamamoto, MD; Toshihiko Uno, MD, PhD; Katsumi Shisida, MD; Longquan Xue, MD; Atsushi Shiraishi, MD, PhD; Xiaodong Zheng, MD, PhD; Yuichi Ohashi, MD, PhD

Arch Ophthalmol. 2006;124:387-393.

Objective  To determine the pathogenesis of the bullous keratopathy that is frequently observed in patients after argon laser iridotomy (ALI) by comparing the changes in aqueous flow after ALI with those that follow peripheral iridectomy in rabbit eyes.

Methods  Silicone particles were injected into the anterior chamber of rabbit eyes as tracers to monitor aqueous flow. Particle tracking velocimetry with image analysis was used to determine the direction and speed of aqueous flow in 5 pigmented rabbits that underwent ALI and 5 that underwent peripheral iridectomy.

Results  In the ALI group, silicone particles were found to stream through the iridotomy window against the corneal endothelium immediately after the pupil was constricted by a light stimulus. The mean ± SD speed of the particles was 2.97 ± 1.51 mm/s. In contrast, the mean ± SD flow rate through the iridectomy window in the peripheral iridectomy group was significantly slower at 0.36 ± 0.30 mm/s (P = .01).

Conclusion  Constriction of the pupil elicited marked aqueous streaming through the ALI window against the corneal endothelium.

Clinical Relevance  The mechanical stress to the corneal endothelium by the abnormal aqueous stream may be partially responsible for the corneal decompensation that follows ALI.

Author Affiliations: Departments of Ophthalmology, Ehime University, Shitsukawa, Toon-city, Ehime (Drs Yamamoto, Uno, Shisida, Xue, Shiraishi, Zheng, and Ohashi), and Takanoko Hospital, Matsuyama City (Drs Yamamoto and Shiraishi), Japan.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Posterior chamber volume does not change significantly during dilation
Dorairaj et al.
Br J Ophthalmol 2009;93:1514-1517.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Late irreversible corneal oedema after laser iridotomy
Shimazaki et al.
Br J Ophthalmol 2009;93:125-126.
FULL TEXT  

Authors' response
Kinoshita et al.
Br J Ophthalmol 2008;92:1300-1301.
FULL TEXT