title: Selective laser trabeculoplasty v argon laser trabeculoplasty: a prospective randomised clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT, a 532 nm Nd:YAG laser) with argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) in lowering the intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with medically uncontrolled open angle glaucoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective randomised clinical trial was designed. Patients were randomised to treatment with either SLT or ALT and were evaluated at 1 hour, 1 week, 1, 3, and 6 months post-laser.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 18 eyes in each group. Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. In the SLT group the mean IOP at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months was 22.8 (SD 3.0), 20.1 (4.6), 19.3 (6.0), and 17.8 (4.8) mm Hg, respectively. In the ALT group, the mean IOP at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months was 22.5 (3.6), 19.5 (4.7), 19.6 (5.6), and 17.7 (3.3) mm Hg, respectively. There was a greater anterior chamber reaction, 1 hour after SLT v ALT (p< 0.01). Patients with previous failed ALT had a better reduction in IOP with SLT than with repeat ALT (6.8 (2. 4) v 3.6 (1.8) mm Hg; p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLT appears to be equivalent to ALT in lowering IOP during the first 6 months after treatment. There is a slightly greater anterior chamber reaction 1 hour after SLT. Patients with previous failed ALT had a significantly greater drop in IOP when treated with SLT v ALT. These results need to be confirmed with a larger sample size.
authors.affiliation: University Of Ottawa Eye Institute, Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Damji
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Rock
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Bains
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Hodge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014130:Trabeculectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology