Abstract

Importance
Pharmacologic pupillary dilation is vital for eye disease screening but is often avoided due to concerns about triggering acute angle closure (AAC), a sight-threatening ophthalmic emergency.
Objective
To assess AAC incidence after dilation and validate the use ofInternational Classification of Diseases(ICD) codes for identifying AAC cases.
Design, Setting, and Participants
This retrospective cohort study used data from a primary care–based teleretinal diabetic retinopathy screening (TDRS) program. Eligible participants were Los Angeles County Department of Health Services patients who underwent teleretinal screening by dilated fundus photography between August 23, 2013, and March 1, 2024. Potential AAC cases were identified usingICDcodes for angle closure, including AAC glaucoma, primary angle-closure glaucoma, and anatomical narrow angle, within 3 months of dilation. All urgent care …

Date

October 9, 2025

Authors

Tracy Z Lang, Benjamin Y Xu, Zhiwei Li, Sreenidhi Iyengar, Carl Kesselman, Jose-Luis Ambite, Kyle Bolo, Jiun Do, Brandon Wong, Lauren P Daskivich

Journal

JAMA ophthalmology