Abstract
Purpose: :
Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a treatment for open angle glaucoma. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a new Q switched Nd-Yag laser with a pulse duration of 4 ns provides clinical benefit for uncrontrolled open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension patients
Methods: :
156 eyes of 150 patients with uncontrolled open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension were enrolled in this prospective non-randomized study and they were treated with selective laser trabeculoplasty. All patients underwent complete ophthalmic evaluation before and at intervals after treatment. This evaluation included visual acuity, slit lamp examination, ophthalmoscopy, gonioscopy and visual field analysis. The IOP was measured 1 day and 1,3,6,9,12 and 18 months postoperatively. During the follow-up period patients were treated with topical antiglaucoma medications as required
Results: :
Intraocular pressure before treatment was 20.04 + 3.3 mmHg, one day after the treatment IOP was 18.43 + 3.1 mmHg (P= 0.002), 1 month after the treatment was 15.7 mmHg + 2.9 mmHg (P< 0.001), 3 months after the treatment was 15.7 mmHg + 2.3 mmHg (P< 0.001), after six months intraocular pressure was 15.7 mmHg + 2.3 mmHg (P< 0.001), after 12 months intraocular pressure reduction was 21 % (P< 0.001), and 18 months it was 21.3% (P< 0.001). The energy released during treatment was 65 + 22 mJ. In the first day after the treatment, the percentage of discomfort "absent" was in 98.8% of patients. Absence of flare and cellularity in the anterior chamber was 100% on the first day and at the last follow-up visit.
Conclusions: :
SLT with a pulse duration of 4 ns is a safe and effective procedure to reduce IOP in uncontrolled open angle glaucoma patients
Keywords: laser • intraocular pressure • outflow: trabecular meshwork