Posters

Impact of laser pulse duration on the reduction of intraocular pressure during selective laser trabeculoplasty

Poster Details

First Author: S. Stunf Pukl SLOVENIA

Co Author(s):    B. Drnovajek-Olup                    

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate the efficacy of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT, 532 nm Nd:YAG laser) in lowering the intraocular pressure (IOP) of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), normal tension glaucoma (NTG) or ocular hypertension (OHT), when performed with a laser pulse duration of 1 ns compared with the standard 3-5 ns SLT.

Setting:

Eye Hospital, University Clinical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia

Methods:

Thirty patients (60 eyes) with POAG (n=5), NTG (n=2) or OHT (n=23) underwent SLT with a 532 nm Q-switched neodymium doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser. A laser pulse duration of 1 ns was used in the right eyes (30 cases) and a laser pulse duration of 3-5 ns was used in all left eyes (30 controls). The primary outcome was IOP at 1 hour, 1 day, 8 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. Secondary outcomes assessed were the rate of adverse ocular tissue reactions in all eyes, and histological and ultrastructural changes in the drainage angle of one enucleated eye.

Results:

Mean 1 ns and 3-5 ns SLT IOPs were 24.1 and 24.3 mmHg, respectively, at baseline (preoperatively). No statistically significant difference in mean 1 ns and 3-5 ns SLT IOPs was observed at 1 hour (p=0.761), 1 day (p=0.758), 8 weeks (p=0.352) and 6 months postoperatively (mean right and left eye IOP=18.7 mmHg; p=1.000). No significant difference in postoperative anterior chamber inflammation was observed between eyes treated with 1 ns and 3-5 ns SLT (p=0.529). Treatment with both laser pulse durations SLT resulted in minor ultrastructural changes in the drainage angle.

Conclusions:

SLT performed with a shorter Nd:YAG laser pulse duration of 1 ns appears to be non-inferior to SLT performed with the standard laser pulse duration of 3-5 ns at lowering IOP of patients with POAG, NTG or OHT.

Financial Disclosure:

One or more of the authors receives consulting fees, retainer, or contract payments from a competing company