title: Long-term safety and efficacy of selective laser trabeculoplasty as primary therapy for the treatment of pseudoexfoliation glaucoma compared with primary open-angle glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the safety and efficacy of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PXFG) compared with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Non-randomized, prospective, clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen eyes of 13 patients with POAG and 18 eyes of 13 patients with PXFG were treated with SLT. Patients were followed without antiglaucoma medications until additional medical, laser, or surgical intervention was initiated, at which time they were considered failures, had withdrawn from the study, or underwent a second SLT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The POAG and PXFG eyes showed similar reductions of IOP over the 49 months of follow-up. At 30 months of follow-up the POAG group showed a mean IOP of 17.6 ± 2.8 mmHg and a mean IOP reduction of 5.7 ± 2.1 mmHg; the PXFG group showed a mean IOP of 18.3 ± 4.7 and a mean IOP reduction of 5.3 ± 3.0 mmHg. Four eyes in the PXFG group and three eyes in the POAG group failed by 30 months. The cumulative probability of success was 74% for the PXFG group and 77% for the POAG group. Four PXFG eyes underwent a second SLT after 30 months of follow-up with a final IOP of 17.6 ± 2.8 mmHg. There were no serious adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLT is a safe and effective method to lower IOP in patients with PXFG as initial glaucoma therapy. Both groups showed similar IOP reductions and failure rates.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. shazlyt@gmail.com
authors.forename: Tarek A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Shazly
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Latina