Silicone Oil Pupillary Block: An Exception to Combined Argon–Nd:YAG Laser Iridotomy Success in Angle-closure Glaucoma

OBJECTIVES To examine the rate of laser iridotomy failure at the University of Cincinnati Glaucoma Service, Cincinnati, Ohio, during the last 10 years and to evaluate the importance of silicone oil pupillary block glaucoma (SOPBG) as a causal factor. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the operative records of all 1711 eyes that underwent laser iridotomy for the treatment of pupillary block angle-closure glaucoma between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2005. The occurrence, etiology, timing, and rate of laser iridotomy failure were assessed with SOPBG cases analyzed separately. RESULTS Analyses using the χ2 test demonstrated significantly higher laser iridotomy failure rates for 13 eyes with SOPBG compared with 1698 eyes with non-SOPBG for all 3 timing outcomes (immediate, 15.4% vs 0%; short term, 92.3% vs 2.5%; and long term, 38.5% vs 0.1%; all P