See Glaucoma

One quite dangerous but less common form of glaucoma is angle closure glaucoma. In angle closure glaucoma, movement of fluid from the back portion of the eye (posterior chamber) to the front portion of the eye (anterior chamber) is impeded. Pressure builds up in the posterior chamber pushing the iris (colored part of the eye) over the part of the eye that drains fluid out. Since fluid cannot drain out, the eye pressure increases causing glaucoma.

The cause of this glaucoma is that fluid cannot drain from the posterior chamber to the anterior chamber. The treatment for this is to create a bypass route for drainage between these 2 compartments. This is accomplished with a Laser Iridectomy.

The procedure is done as an outpatient. The only anesthesia that is needed are some eye drops. Once these eye drops are applied, a special contact lens allows precision focusing of the laser. Application of the laser created a bypass in the iris (the colored part of the eye). The procedure is quick and relatively painless taking only a few minutes. Once the bypass is established the angle closure component of glaucoma is resolved!