YAG Laser Iridotomy Complications

Hi. Still the same. As long as I don’t look at lights I don’t notice it or it’s just that I’ve gotten used to it.

I'm sorry to hear that you have had so many problems and feel like it was a terrible decision to have had iridotomy. I was troubled with the dysphotopsias immediately following the procedure but now that I am 3 years post procedure -- it is far less of a problem. I hope with time that you have improvement. I'm glad I had mine done as I now have that "relief valve" in place -- especially since I am 2 hours from my ophthalmologist.

Excellent post. Pretty good explanation of the procedure. Thanks for sharing. Ihad 2 holes per eye done and I have had open angle Glaucoma for 18 years. Pressures have dropped about 40%.

I am 50 years old and had my cataract surgery one year ago (toric lenses), since then I have been through some horrible stuff. I had Macular Edema in both eyes a short while after my cataract surgeries, but this seems to have cleared up according to my retinal scans and multiple examinations. Once my Macular Edema cleared up in both eyes I had the YAG laser to clear up my posterior capsular opacification. The next morning after my YAG laser, I woke up and I knew something was terrible wrong, In dim light (even indoors with fluorescent lighting), I could see a fuzzy halo around lights and starbursts too. At night time when I am driving, every light ranging from headlights to traffic lights....any light at night, I can see long stretched out spiky starbursts. The brighter the light (like those super bright headlights you see in newer cars), the longer and stretchy the starburst will be. Every once in a while the starburst will also have a rainbow effect to it that is inside the starburst itself. Note: I am seeing the starbursts with or without my glasses, so it wouldn't be residual astigmatism like my doctor thought it might be. I am also seeing bright oddly shaped circle lights every morning right now like when I had my macular edema, when I went to my doctor he did another retinal scan of my eyes but it showed no macular edema. My vitreous gel seems to be a mess also, I can live with floaters, but now it seems like the vitreous gel is clumping together or something, and when I look to the left and right or up and down I see like something hazy and sweeping going the opposite way that I am looking. I asked if my lenses got pitted or damaged or something during my YAG laser treatment but my doctor said no. My doctor had some "copy and paste" explanation for everything (like basically well...just live with it), so I went to see a second doctor (at my HMO hospital), and after her examination she basically said the same thing "well you're seeing 20/20 with glasses" along with her "copy and paste" explanations as well. Not happy with her responses, I asked politely to be referred to the retinal surgeon...she didn't like it that much, and after that her demeanor changed for the worse. So moving forward...I've been researching Dr. Google (doctors hate when I do this, lol), I was thinking that maybe they should widen the YAG treatment area more (maybe it will clear up the starbursts cause I have large pupils), and maybe I should get a vitrectomy (for my clumpy vitreous gel or whatever else it might be that is possibly pulling at my retina causing the circles of light in the morning right when I wake)? I see the retinal surgeon later this month, is there any suggestions you guys might give me that I might bring to the table when I see him? I feel like I am going blind or something. Thank you.

I'm sorry to hear that you have had so many problems and feel like it was a terrible decision to have had iridotomy. I was troubled with the dysphotopsias immediately following the procedure but now that I am 3 years post procedure -- it is far less of a problem. I hope with time that you have improvement. I'm glad I had mine done as I now have that "relief valve" in place -- especially since I am 2 hours from my ophthalmologist.

I do have cataracts -- but most people do after the age of 40. They are not progressing rapidly or a problem.

@sarahlinda Hi and welcome to Connect! I'm sorry to hear of your vision problems and sensitivities. What was or is your current diagnosis? What has your eye journey been?

I have Fuchs dystrophy (cornea disease) and was diagnosed at age 40 with it and cataracts. I held out til 43 before having cataract surgeries and corneal transplants on both eyes. My vision was restored thankfully however, photphobia remained and progressed. A couple years after surgeries, I went into double vision and blur because I had developed secondary cataracts. I received YAG laser procedure which restored my clear vision again but left me with ghost like floaters. I still have photophobia and developed migraines along the way. I wear sunglasses and hats and adjust lights in my house, TV, phone. etc...to my tolerance. I'm holding out hope that my transplants stay strong...10 year expectancy and I'm on year 7 and doing ok.

I understand the frustration of eye problems so please know you are not alone.
Be well,
Rachel