title: Long-term outcomes in patients initially responsive to selective laser trabeculoplasty.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the long-term effects of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) on intraocular pressure (IOP) and the number of medications used up to 5y following treatment in glaucoma patients receiving maximally tolerated medical therapy (MTMT).
  
  
  METHODS
  The Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center retrospectively reviewed the charts of glaucoma patients who underwent SLT after receiving MTMT. Eyes that did not achieve their target pressure within 3mo following SLT were excluded from the study. Changes in mean IOP and number of glaucoma medications used were analyzed at 1, 3, and 5y following SLT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-five eyes of 67 patients were included in the study. Fifteen eyes that received SLT failed to achieve their target pressure within 3mo and were excluded from the study. The average follow-up time was 37.4mo (±14.4). Mean IOP was significantly reduced 1y after treatment (P=0.005). It was also reduced 3, 5y after treatment without reaching statistical significance (P=0.20 and P=0.072, respectively). There was a significant decrease in mean number of medications used 1, 3, 5y after treatment (P<0.001, P<0.001, and P=0.039, respectively). In the span of 5y, 2 eyes (2.7%) underwent repeat SLT, 7 eyes (9.3%) underwent glaucoma surgery and an additional 3 eyes (4.0%) underwent both.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLT significantly reduced the number of glaucoma medications used 5y following treatment in glaucoma patients receiving MTMT. SLT may delay operating-room surgery.
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Varun
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Eman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: El Hawy
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waisbourd
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zangalli
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Lalita
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasprenski
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
authors.forename: L Jay
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
authors.forename: George L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Spaeth
keywords: glaucoma; intraocular pressure; long-term; maximally tolerated medical therapy; number of medications used; selective laser trabeculoplasty