DO ANY FACTORS PREDICT A FAVOURABLE RESPONSE TO LASER TRABECULOPLASTY?

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Abstract
One hundred and thirty‐three eyes with raised intraocular pressure treated by argon laser trabeculoplasty were studied to determine the factors predicting a fall in pressure with treatment. The two main predictive factors were: (i) initial pressure—a higher initial pressure was associated with a greater fall in pressure (p < 0.001); and (ii) diagnosis (type of glaucoma)—pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PXFG) and chronic open‐angle glaucoma (COAG) had the greatest fall (p < 0.05). Aphakic glaucoma was associated with the worst results. Of the other factors studied, only the degree of pigmentation of the angle was a significant predictor: the greatest fall in pressure occurred in eyes with moderately pigmented angles (p = 0.05). Complications of treatment were pigment scatter in the angle with depigmentation (41% of eyes), peripheral anterior synechiae (7.5%), immediate postoperative rise in pressure of 10 mmHg or more (7%), moderately severe iritis (3%) and hyphaema (2%). Medication was able to be ceased in only five patients after laser trabeculoplasty; even if a small fall in pressure is achieved, a large fall to the bottom of the normal range is unlikely.

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