The outcome of 270-degree selective laser trabeculoplasty

Purpose. to evaluate the reduction of intraocular pressure (iop) by a single-session 270° selective laser trabeculoplasty (slt) in pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (pxfg) and primary open angle glaucoma (poag) patients. methods. a successful outcome was defined as an iop reduction ≥20% from baseline with no further need for laser or incisional surgery. the preoperative pharmaceuticals were maintained unchanged throughout the course of the study. 70-80 nonoverlapping pulses were distributed around 270° in the trabecular band. results. sixty-six eyes of 42 patients with pxfg (30 eyes) or poag (36 eyes) met the inclusion criteria. the mean ± standard deviation preoperative iop was 23.7 ± 4.5 mmhg and at the end of the followup was 19.0 ± 4.5 mmhg with a pressure drop of 4.7 ± 3.1 mmhg (20%) (p < 0.001,95% confidence interval 3.94-5.46). the cumulative probability of success was 39% (26 of 66 eyes) after 6 months of followup. statistically significant differences in success rates were observed between the pxfg and poag groups (27% versus 50%; p = 0.025). postoperative inflammatory reaction was scanty. conclusions. 270-degree slt is useful in lowering iop in pxfg and poag,but the average reduction of iop seems to be within the same range as reported with 180-degree slt previously. © 2012 pasi tapio pehkonen and juha oskari välimäki.