Yag PI (peripheral iridotomy)

Closed angle glaucoma is when the iris, or colored part of your eye, is too close to the drainage angle of

your eye. Occasionally, the iris can be pushed forward blocking the drainage of aqueous flow out of

your eye which creates rapidly building eye pressure commonly known as an angle closure attack, or

glaucoma attack. This is an eye emergency and should be treated immediately. Without treatment, you

can lose the sight in your eye.

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Symptoms of an angle closure attack include, but are not limited to:

1) blurred vision

2) severe eye pain

3) headache

4) rainbow colored halos around lights

5) nausea and vomiting

YAG Peripheral Iridotomy, or YAG PI, uses light energy to create a small hole in your iris to improve

the flow of aqueous, which lowers the eye pressure. This procedure is done in our office and only takes a few minutes to actually complete. We ask that you plan on being in the office for 1-2 hours the day of your laser treatment.

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First, anesthetic drops are used to numb your eye. Then, the doctor will place a lens on your eye with a

Vaseline like substance, which will blur your vision for the rest of the day. The lens will help focus the

laser. In general, there is no discomfort associated with the laser treatment, and you are free to resume

all normal activity when you leave the office.

You will have a steroid eye drop to use three times a day for a few days after the treatment. Your vision

will be blurry for the day of the laser treatment.

Please discuss any questions or concerns you have about SLTs with your ophthalmologist before your

procedure.