What is on the horizon for cycloablation?
The concept of cycloablation has been present for several decades, but the inability to titrate a predictable and reproducible response has been its drawback. However, cycloablation still plays an important role in our paradigm of glaucoma therapy, since it can be the treatment of last resort for a small group of patients who have exhausted all other treatment modalities. Experience with argon or diode endolaser cyclophotocoagulation holds promise for these and other patients because it appears to demonstrate a safer side-effect profile, while providing good results. Better results may be partially due to visualization of the ciliary processes before applying laser energy, which allows for targeted destruction of tissue and limits the amount of inflammation. Additional experience will better define the indications and scope of these newer modalities.
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA.
M
M
Bartamian
E J
EJ
Higginbotham
D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000601:surgery*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000639:trends