If it moves it may be a floater related to tissue from the iris being 'popped' back into the vitreous. If it does not move it may be a visual abberation caused by the hole in the iris. You can use the search feature to read about the problems some people experience with abberations, archs, flares, ghosting, etc after the hole is put in the iris. It tends to get better with time.
JCH MD
Thank you so much for your response. The piece of fuzz can only be seen when I blink and when medium to bright light is shining in my eye. It stays in the exact same place when I blink as if there really is a piece of fuzz on my eyelash even though there is not. If this is a visual abberation from the laser iridotomy, is it something that can be treated? If not, how long does it usually take to get better? Also I would love to read more about it and am not sure which search feature you were referring to since I am new to this site. Again, thank you so much!
Since it stays in one spot and requires certain light conditions it very likely this is a reflex from the iridotomy. Usually (but not always gets better). More common when the iris opening is just below the edge of the upper eyelid. Best positions are 3, 9, 12 oclock.
JCH MD
I have the white line across my eye, when outside, next to a window, driving during daylight or any other natural light situations. I had laser surgery for narrow angle glaucoma in April 2012. I don't think it is a floater. The same white line pops up when I'm in natural light and stays there. It does move with every movement of my eyelid. As I raise my eyelid it raises up. This is causing alot of difficulty in my vision. If you have any suggestions, please reply. I was told, by my Dr., that one of the holes closed with pigments. Could this cause the white line to appear. I also need the other eye done but very afraid of the same problem. Is it true , if I have a cataract removed that this helps the angles to drain?
1. A cataract might cause those symptoms. In which case cataract surgery should improve or eliminate it.
2. A laser opening in the iris (iridotomy) could cause it but it would be expected to be present ever since the laser was done.
3. The laser opening closing with pigment would NOT cause it since its an opening that generates the arch of light.
4. Cataract surgery almost always helps most common forms of glaucoma (open angle, narrow angle, pseudoexfoliation, pigmentary, etc)
JCH MD
Thank you for the information. I will explore cataract surgery for this problem. I guess my explanation of my problem was not real clear. The white line across my vision did appear within a day or two after my iridotomy. It may have been there from the first day however I first noticed it when I walked outside on a very bright day. It appears if watching T.V. while in a dark room or using the computer or any other times when there is a white light. I live in La. but am planning to see a Glaucoma doctor in Dallas Texas. Again, Thank You for the information and your response to my question.
My goodness, I have the EXACT same thing!!! I just had laser surgery for Narrow Angle . . . I called my dr. office, she then spoke to the dr. and he said he never heard of that. I am printing this page and taking it to him on my followup apt.. . . I hope what I read by this doctor is true and that it will get better. I AM NOT going to have my seond eye done, by this dr. anyway, that's for sure. It is most annoying. My question is could it cause damage to your eye having the light going through the hole? Also, is this the cause of a bad surgeon? I thought I had a good surgeon he is the director of Laser Surgery . . . I have a follow up in 5 days.
My Mom had laser surgery last year to open up a beginning narrow angle in both eyes, her pressures were OK. She also has cataracts, but can still function and see OK. The question is to whether to proceed with the cataract surgery. She was told since she has this narrowing, it may take an additional time for recovery from swelling, maybe an extra week. Now, she's afraid to have anything done. She's 80 and my thinking is OK, have it done before her health declines, but then again worried about any complications, since she's doing OK too.
If a step was broken in her home you would not wait until she fell down the stairs to repair it. It is very false reasoning not to have the laser. It is almost always painless or minimal pain, can be done in a minute or two with a yag laser and there are no restrictions on her activities.
I would strongly suggest that if her angles are occludable and prone to either acute or chronic angle closure glaucoma that she have the treatment her ophthalmologist advises.
JCH MD
can you tell me the approximate cost of the Yag surgery? thank you