Peripheral iridectomy in closed angle glaucoma-- late complications.

Of 70 eyes with therapeutic peripheral iridectomy (PI), 51% suffered a loss of two or more lines on the Snellen chart; 57% developed posterior synechiae (PS) and 57% showed lens opacities. Thirty-three per cent of eyes that underwent PI prophylactically had a vision drop of two lines or more, 39% developed PS and 42% showed varying degrees of lens opacities. Although vision drop, lens opacities and PS were less marked in the prophylactic group, it appears that PI is a surgical procedure not without its hazards. We therefore suggest that peripheral iridectomy should not be performed routinely on the second eye not suffering an acute attack. This procedure should be undertaken only in cases with positive provocative tests and/or clinical signs of closed angle glaucoma.