Abstract
Purpose:
To evaluate efficacy of Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) when used as a secondary treatment for glaucoma patients receiving maximum tolerated medicinal therapy
Methods:
88 Glaucoma patients (75 POAG, 6 secondary glaucoma and 7 Normal-Pressure glaucoma) that received three or four medicinal treatments were followed up after treatment with SLT in one, three and five years intervals. Mean IOP was calculated before receiving laser treatments then compared to the IOP measured at 1, 3 and 5 years intervals. A change was defined as a better pressure when more than millimeter drop of IOP was recorded, and as worse when more than one millimeter increase of IOP was recorded. A pressure was referred to as equal when it was the same or changed by one millimeter mercury.
Results:
The mean of the baseline IOP for the 88 eyes was 18.35 with a standard deviation of 5.3; the mean IOP 1 year post laser treatment was 16.47 with a standard deviation of 4.87; the mean IOP 3 years post laser treatment was 15.86 with a standard deviation of 6.43; while the mean IOP 5 years post laser treatment was 16.21 with a standard deviation of 6.16. After 1 year of receiving SLT, 57% (among 83 eyes of patients who reported for follow up) showed a drop in IOP, 17% of patients maintained the same IOP recorded before laser treatment while 27% had higher IOP . After 3 years of receiving SLT, 48% (among 50 eyes of patients who reported for follow up) showed a drop in IOP, 26% of patients maintained the same IOP recorded before laser treatment while 26% had higher IOP . At the 5 years follow up visit, 50% (among 14 eyes of patients who reported for follow up) showed a drop in IOP, 29% of patients maintained the same IOP recorded before laser treatment while 21% had higher IOP . During the follow up 2 eyes required surgery within the first year, an additional five eyes required surgical treatment within the three years following laser, as did an additional five eyes during the five years follow up.
Conclusions:
In patients receiving maximal medicinal treatment, SLT showed efficacy in reducing or maintaining IOP for three years.
Keywords: 578 laser •
568 intraocular pressure