Abstract
Purpose: :
To examine the effect of Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) on intraocular pressure (IOP) as primary and secondary therapy in glaucoma patients of varying ethnicity.
Methods: :
Retrospective chart review was performed on 1403 eyes from a consecutive case series of 2056 eyes treated with SLT over 5 years. Eyes were divided into those treated with primary and secondary therapy, then subdivided by race: Black and White. Mean decrease in IOP and change in meds after treatment with SLT was recorded and analyzed.
Results: :
In eyes which had SLT as primary treatment, Blacks and Whites showed an average IOP drop of 28% and 27% respectively. In eyes which had SLT as secondary treatment, Blacks and Whites showed an average IOP drop of 24% and 23%, respectively; analysis of the change in medication post-SLT showed that Blacks and Whites showed an average decrease in meds of 54% and 33%, respectively. Results were significant (p<0.01).
Conclusions: :
In this study, the mean IOP drops after primary SLT for Blacks and Whites were not significantly different; mean IOP drops after secondary SLT for Blacks and Whites were not significantly different (p<0.01). The mean decrease in meds after secondary SLT for Blacks and Whites were significantly different, with Blacks having a larger mean decrease in meds than Whites (p<0.01).
Keywords: laser • trabecular meshwork