Original Research

Selective laser trabeculoplasty in primary open-angle glaucoma: Primary versus secondary treatment outcomes

Emil Goosen, Linda Visser, Ben Sartorius
African Vision and Eye Health | Vol 75, No 1 | a338 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/aveh.v75i1.338 | © 2016 Emil Goosen, Linda Visser, Ben Sartorius | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 05 December 2015 | Published: 03 November 2016

About the author(s)

Emil Goosen, Department of Ophthalmology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Linda Visser, Department of Ophthalmology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Ben Sartorius, Department of Public Health Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

Objective: To compare the outcomes of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) on treatmentnaive, primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients with those of SLT on patients previously treated medically and/or surgically. Secondary objectives: To establish whether age, race or gender influenced SLT outcomes.

Design: A retrospective chart review of patients who received SLT therapy for POAG between June 2011 and January 2015.

Subjects: Group A: Treatment-naive patients (n = 15). Group B: Prior medical therapy and/or prior surgery (n = 69).

Methods: Group A: Patients were treated with SLT therapy as first line, with medical treatment added as needed. Group B: Patients were treated with SLT therapy as additional therapy to medication and/or surgery. All patients were followed up for at least 1 year.

Main outcome measures: A reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP) of at least 20% from baseline was considered significant.

Results: The following percentage reduction in IOP was found in the different groups: Group A 50.7%, Group B 32.0%, Africans 52.2%, Indians 29.8% and Caucasians 28.87%.

Conclusion: In our study patients, SLT achieved significant reductions in IOPs in treatmentnaive as well as previously surgically and medically treated eyes with POAG. Statistically significant higher reductions in IOP at 1 year after SLT was seen in treatment-naive eyes, patients older than 70 years when compared with younger patients, female patients (54%) when compared with male patients (30%) and in patients of African (52%) descent compared with Caucasians (30%).


Keywords

Glaucoma; Laser; Trabeculoplasty

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