Pentacam could be a useful tool for evaluating and qualifying the anterior chamber morphology.

OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the changes of anterior chamber morphology after laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) in primary angle-closure (PAC) patients using Pentacam. METHODS 35 normal persons and 35 patients of PAC before and 1 week after neodymium: yttrium: aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) LPI were evaluated with Pentacam. We measured the anterior chamber angle (ACA), central anterior chamber depth (CACD), peripheral anterior chamber depth (PACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV) and pupil diameter (PD). Paired t-test was used to investigate the differences in anterior segment parameters before and after LPI. Independent samples t-test was used to compare these parameters between PAC patients after LPI and normal persons. RESULTS There were significant differences between PAC patients and control in nasal and temporal ACA, PACD, ACV (P < 0.05) except for superior (P = 0.053) and inferior ACA (P = 0.389), CACD (P = 0.453) and PD (P = 0.221). ACV increased 56.5% in PAC patients after LPI whose ACV < 57 mm(3), which was more greatly than those patients whose ACV > 57 mm(3) (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The changes of anterior chamber parameters after LPI in PAC eyes can be demonstrated by Pentacam objectively and quantitatively. LPI seems more effective for PAC eyes with smaller ACV. The anterior chamber parameters in PAC eyes after LPI are still significantly smaller than those of normal persons.