title: Argon versus selective laser trabeculoplasty in younger patients: 2-year results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) and selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) in lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) in younger patients (age 60 or less).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective randomized control trial. Forty-two young patients (age 29 to 60 y) had 1 eye randomized to ALT (n=22) or SLT (n=20). IOP was measured before laser and 1 hour, 1 day, 6 weeks, 3 months, every 3 months until 2 years, and then yearly postlaser. Chi-square analysis and Student t test were used to determine statistical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean IOP before treatment was 21.9 mm Hg for ALT and 19.1 mm Hg for SLT with no statistical difference between the groups (P>0.05). At 2 years, 86.4% of ALT and 75.0% of SLT eyes required no further surgical intervention (laser trabeculoplasty or trabeculectomy). During the same time period, there was a statistically significant IOP decrease of 11.1% after ALT (P=0.01) and 7.7% after SLT (P=0.01) with no statistical difference between the lasers (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In younger patients, both ALT and SLT have a significant ocular hypotensive effect 2 years after treatment, with no differences in outcome identified between the laser modalities.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa.
authors.forename: Yingwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Birt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017889:Exfoliation Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D054018:Lasers, Excimer / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D057066:Low Tension Glaucoma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular; D014129:Trabecular Meshwork / Q000601:surgery*; D014130:Trabeculectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome