Abstract
Purpose:
To determine the impact of Glaucoma medications on the success of Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT).
Methods:
This is a retrospective chart review of patients receiving SLT between October 2006 and May 2012. Patients with open angle glaucoma, Pigmentary, and Pseudoexfoliation glaucoma were included. Patients with chronic angle closure, and patients with previous laser or glaucoma surgery were excluded. We used two criteria, lenient (C1) and stringent (C2), to determine success. C1 considers intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction of at least 20% on 2 successive visits as success. C2 requires IOP reduction of 30% on 2 successive visits. All patients received either 180 or 360 degree SLT. Kaplan Meier Survivor analysis with LogRank (Mantel-Cox) Test was performed to assess patients with vs without specific medications prior to surgery (Alpha agonist, Cholinergic, Beta antagonist, Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitor, and Prostaglandin analog).
Results:
211 eyes of 211 patients are reviewed in the study. Our analysis comparing the 5 medication classes demonstrates no statistical significant difference in patients using specific medications vs without medications within each medication class (Alpha agonist, Prostaglandin analog, Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitor, Beta blocker, or Cholinergic) prior to SLT in success rate. Our analysis also demonstrates a median survival rate of 50% by C1 at 30 months, and C2 at 12 months.
Conclusions:
Of the individual classes of glaucoma medications there is no advantage with vs without the use of medication with the success of SLT.