Copyright © 2012 Pasi Tapio Pehkonen and Juha Oskari Välimäki. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose. To evaluate the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) by a single-session 270° selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) in pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PXFG) and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients. Methods. A successful outcome was defined as an IOP reduction ≥20% from baseline with no further need for laser or incisional surgery. The preoperative pharmaceuticals were maintained unchanged throughout the course of the study. 70–80 nonoverlapping pulses were distributed around 270° in the trabecular band. Results. Sixty-six eyes of 42 patients with PXFG (30 eyes) or POAG (36 eyes) met the inclusion criteria. The mean ± standard deviation preoperative IOP was  mmHg and at the end of the followup was  mmHg with a pressure drop of  mmHg (20%) (, 95% confidence interval 3.94–5.46). The cumulative probability of success was 39% (26 of 66 eyes) after 6 months of followup. Statistically significant differences in success rates were observed between the PXFG and POAG groups (27% versus 50%; ). Postoperative inflammatory reaction was scanty. Conclusions. 270-degree SLT is useful in lowering IOP in PXFG and POAG, but the average reduction of IOP seems to be within the same range as reported with 180-degree SLT previously.