iridotomy holes ?

hi everyone

Hope you are all keeping well?

I had my laser iridotomy 3 weeks ago and have my follow up Friday next week,

I wondered, is it typical to not be able to see the laser iridotomy holes? I do have light coloured iris’s and expected to be able to see them.

The follow up appointment has caused my anxiety to spike severely ( please be kind I’m a fragile wee thing) Im worrying that the holes ( that I’ve never been able to see ) have closed up.

I was also prepared to have visual disturbance's of some sort, but I’ve had absolutely nothing! Which is great, but with anxiety, man it’s creeps up on you and having me think all sorts!

Im feeling so disappointed in myself to be honest, because the thought of the iridotomy really sent me into a spiral. I pepped myself up into thinking if I can just get through that I’ll feel better, and back to my normal self.

And that’s hasn’t happened.

Paula x

[Crafted]

I don't think that it's usual to be able to see the holes by looking in a mirror, they are tiny. I think I can sometimes see mine when looking at something when the light falls in a certain way. They look like little mobile bubbles - round floaters. I know it's difficult but try to keep your cool until your visit where you can ask any questions you may have. Whoever checks will be able to confirm that the holes are open and doing their job if that's the case.

[Hidden in reply to Crafted]

Thankyou so much for you’re reply.

I know people on here must think I’m completely neurotic but I’m a carer for my daughter and my husband is a type one diabetic and I’m the who needs to be ‘ok’ if that makes any sense.

I just think life is so cruel sometimes.

I really hope that because I’m 37 and my narrow angles / plateau iris has been found early purely by accident, that I will hopefully have functional vision to look after my daughter even when I’m old,

It’s such a worry.

[Bess21 in reply to Hidden]

I was told only visible to the person doing check with machine/lens

[Hidden in reply to Bess21]

Okey doke, Thankyou for that more than I was told 🤣 x

[AlfredV]

I can see mine but only with a bright torch in a mirror. I do have very dark irises (almost black) so it could be that making them more visible.

I wouldn't worry, but do discuss it with your consultant at the follow up. In terms of them closing back up, I think the main risk of this is many years into the future.

[Hidden in reply to AlfredV]

Oh really , yeah I will do that Thankyou, it’s just such a worry.

[Bearmum]

I had mine done Tues of this week I was told you cannot see them with the naked eye just by looking in the mirror. I have no disturbances either. Which I also thought I would. The surgeon said I had extremely thick iris's too so had to penetrate a few times and made the holes bigger. He said if they close up he would do them again at the other side. I understand your worry I'm the same! Hope everything goes well for you 🙂

[Hidden in reply to Bearmum]

Hi there Thankyou for taking the time to reply. How are you doing so far?

Did you read all the things like me on the internet prior too! Really regret that.

I have my check up next week so fingers crossed.

I hope you recover smoothly 🥰

[Bearmum in reply to Hidden]

I read everything I shouldn't! I have a disk at risk too so I constantly worry about developing a NAION.

I've been fine, lights are abit blinding, but nothing really bothers me.

Thank you- I'm sure yours will be fine! The procedure itself I would have again, I don't think it was bad really considering the benefits 🙂

[Hidden in reply to Bearmum]

Same! We are our own worst enemy it seems, in that regard. But when you’re anxious, we naturally just want that support and reassurance.

I understand you’re worry,

I’m so glad to hear you’ve had a positive experience, it’s important we share them too. For other people who our scouring the internet for people’s lived experience, I’ve come to realise people only typically share their worries, naturally.

I’ve found that I have no real light sensitivity now to be honest, before i had the iridotomy I was terribly light sensitive.

I would too, although I’d ‘rather’ not but considering like you say it really was only a few seconds and over with. 🥰

[Bearmum in reply to Hidden]

I think everyone is different with them. My eyes are still quite inflamed and I need a follow up to see if the procedure has worked. I've heard positive things from the procedure so fingers crossed! My pressures were 17 and 18 after, I'm not sure they will go down anymore? I think that seems quite high still but the professor that did it said it was ok.

I worry about absolutely everything! So I can totally relate!! It's a very annoying super power of mine 🙈

[Hidden in reply to Bearmum]

Hopefully you will get your follow up appointment soon, I was told 8 wks but to my surprise my appointment came through within 4 weeks. Are you getting on with the steriod drops ok?

What where you’re pressures before? I think that’s really good still within normal range? Mine were 17-18 before then after 13-15 so not a massive difference but I’ll take it!

Ergh yes same with me, I drove myself and everyone round me mad im sure 🤣🤣

[Bearmum in reply to Hidden]

I didn't take any drops. He said it was unnecessary for me to have them. I started them but I have asthma so he said to stop as my drops. Mine went from 24 and 19. So not much of a drop at all. He doesn't seem concerned though because the pressure that came out was a lot.

Always hopeful!

[Hidden in reply to Bearmum]

Oh really, you haven’t got drops for the inclination after? I suppose if they effect your asthma that’s a good idea to stop,

After my iridotomy I had steriod drops 3 times a day for one week to reduce any inflammation.

That’s a really good result re pressure 🥰

[Bearmum in reply to Hidden]

He checked and said my inflammation wasn't too bad. So I suppose if it was he would have. I paid private to have it done so I wasn't waiting, not sure if it's different aftercare, or maybe because I have high risk of NAION it might effect that, I'm not sure! He said he would repeat it if it closed up as he said this can sometimes happen.

[Hidden in reply to Bearmum]

Ohhh yeah that might be it, I had mine via the NHS.

[Mckie]

Hi, I can’t see my holes - they are minute - I was unlucky and did get vision disturbance - which wasn’t great - but you adapt so don’t really notice it now. Try not to worry xxx

[Hidden in reply to Mckie]

Hi there

Thankyou for taking the time to reply, I’m so sorry to hear that, very insensitive of me to say I have no disturbances when others have had that experience, I hope I caused no offence.

Is everything working ok for you now? Xxx

[Mckie in reply to Hidden]

Don’t be silly 🥰 - glad you didn’t have any - as I said much better now just bit sensitive to light xxx

[Pley]

I had both my eyes Lasered over 10 years ago. I've never been able to see the holes, have never been aware of them and had no side effects. The only thing they did was reduce my eye pressures.

Hope this helps.

[Hidden in reply to Pley]

Great to hear it’s helped the pressures still after ten years, thanks so much for taking the time to reply to me 🙂

[KieranGlaucomaUK Administrator]

Hi Paula. You can't usually see the hole in the iris after the iridotomy. It can depend on where they do the iridotomy, as usually they do it at the top of the iris so the top eyelid would cover it. The holes are usually very small.

[Hidden in reply to KieranGlaucomaUK]

Hi Kieran, hope you are well, Thankyou for you reply. That’s great to hear, i just honestly expected to be able to see them, buts thats me reassurance seeking I realise, they have been placed at the top of my eye between 11 o’clock and 1 oclock from how it felt.

[Rickyxsara]

Had mine done 10 years this June coming. Optician can see them but I can’t. I also take 10 drops a day and see consultant every six months.

[Hidden in reply to Rickyxsara]

Goodness, 10 drops a day!

[Rickyxsara]

yes

[Lovemy2woofs]

I can’t see mine, but opticians can.

your pressure drop is good !

My pressures are not really lowered . When I was refereed they was 23/24 , at hospital First visit 26/28 , then 21 . After iridotomy follow up 18/22 . They seemed happy with that.

At opticians in Jan this year they averaged 21 , year before were 24 , year before that 25. Boots do the puffer test which is imo not as accurate.

So hover in the low to mid twenties. I did pay extra for OCT scan this year and also was done when they were 25 as optician was double checking due to being 25 , but said all ok 🤷‍♀️

Not on drops. After my follow up was done got discharged back to care of my opticians for yearly check , as at risk of developing glaucoma, they do Visual Field test there.

I have to have yearly diabetic retina screen where they dilate pupils and I get stressed every year about this as hope it doesn’t bring on an angle closure attack , especially as I have mine done in a non surgical setting .

[Hidden in reply to Lovemy2woofs]

Hey 👋🏻 thanks for your reply,

That’s really great that you’ve had the iridotomy especially with you having to have your eyes dilated yearly, they’re you’re safety valves! I can definitely understand you being anxious about having that, my husband gets anxious about his and he doesn’t have any mitigating eye conditions.

Do you have narrow angles also?

[Lovemy2woofs in reply to Hidden]

Yes I do.

[Shinal_GlaucomaUK Administrator]

Hello, I am sorry to hear about the anxiety you are feeling. It’s pretty uncommon that you or someone else will see where the holes were made, though if you look closely you’ll later possibly see a black dot where it is. Usually the holes can only be seen by the microscope used by the eye clinic. Wishing you all the best.