SLT vs ALT in Patients With Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose:To compare the efficacy of Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) to Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT) in patients with Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXS). Methods: As part of a prospective randomized clinical trial comparing SLT to ALT, we studied the short (1 year) and long (3 years) term pressure lowering efficacy of these two lasers in patients with PXS (N=31) . Baseline variables controlled for included age, gender, race, glaucoma risk factors, and an index of disease severity based on glaucoma medication history. Both univariate and multivariate analysis was performed, the latter with generalized linear models. Results: At one year the average IOP lowering in the SLT group was 6.0 mm Hg and in the ALT group was 4.39 mm Hg (p=0.48). This result was stable at three years with the IOP lowering of SLT being 8.0 mm Hg and ALT 6.2 mm Hg (p=0.43). Conclusions: SLT is at least as effective as ALT in lowering IOP at 1 and 3 years in patients with PXS.

Keywords: laser • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: out • trabecular meshwork