title: Selective laser trabeculoplasty as an initial treatment option for open-angle glaucoma.
abstract: Although eye drops are frequently used as an initial treatment option for open angle glaucoma (OAG), side effects, and poor adherence, among others, may compromise treatment efficacy. In this scenario, laser trabeculoplasty is an interesting therapeutic option for open angle glaucoma cases. Commonly used for many years as a last alternative prior to glaucoma incisional surgery, laser trabeculoplasty has been changing its indication after the advent of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT). In the current review, we critically evaluated the published data regarding the use of laser trabeculoplasty as a first treatment option for open angle glaucoma patients. Studies using SLT as a first-line treatment have encouraging findings. One-year efficacy results are comparable to those obtained with prostaglandin analogues, with a good safety profile. Although the laser´s effect is known to be transitory, recent data suggest it can be successfully repeated in cases with good response to the first SLT treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Universitário de Ciências Médicas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Lúcia
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Unit, Hospital Medicina dos Olhos, Osasco, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ushida
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Unit, Hospital Medicina dos Olhos, Osasco, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Unit, Hospital Medicina dos Olhos, Osasco, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Diego T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Syril
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dorairaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Universitário de Ciências Médicas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fábio Nishimura
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Kanadani
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Unit, Hospital Medicina dos Olhos, Osasco, SP, Brazil.|Glaucoma Service, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.|Glaucoma Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Oftalmológico de Sorocaba, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tiago Santos
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Prata
mesh_terms: D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014130:Trabeculectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome