High failure rate associated with 180 degrees selective laser trabeculoplasty.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) in a tertiary care referral center.


METHODS
In this retrospective study of selective laser trabeculoplasty performed by five physicians, 94 eyes from 94 patients were included. A majority (83/92, 90%) underwent 180 degrees selective laser trabeculoplasty. Selective laser trabeculoplasty failure was defined in two ways: (1) IOP decrease <3 mm Hg (definition one), or (2) IOP decrease <20% (definition two), on two successive visits > or =4 weeks after SLT.


RESULTS
Overall failure rates were 68% (64/94) and 75% (70/94) (by definitions one and two, respectively). By survival/life-table analysis, mean time to failure was 6 months and 5.5 months, by definitions one and two, respectively. By the end of the study (14.5 months), the failure rates were 86% and 92% by definitions one and two, respectively. By each definition, in both univariable and multivariable analysis, only lower baseline IOP was a significant predictor of failure.


CONCLUSIONS
Selective laser trabeculoplasty had an overall low success rate in our tertiary clinic population, with overall failure rates of 68% to 74% in those who underwent 180 degrees selective laser trabeculoplasty.
Song
Julia
J
Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina NC 27710, USA.
Lee
Paul P
PP
Epstein
David L
DL
Stinnett
Sandra S
SS
Herndon
Leon W
LW
Asrani
Sanjay G
SG
Allingham
R Rand
RR
Challa
Pratap
P
D000368:Aged; D017889:Exfoliation Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014129:Trabecular Meshwork / Q000601:surgery*; D014130:Trabeculectomy / Q000379:methods*; D017211:Treatment Failure