Abstract
AIM: To characterise clinical outcomes following selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) in eyes of Afro-Caribbean patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) at high risk for progression. METHODS: In a prospective interventional case series, patients meeting high-risk criteria (advanced disease, unilateral glaucoma blindness, inadequate intraocular pressure (IOP) on >2 medications, recent progression on medications, inability to administer, afford or tolerate medications) underwent bilateral 360° SLT and managed based on their subsequent clinical course. Patient-specific indications for SLT-IOP reduction (IOP group) or reduced reliance on medical therapy (MED group)-were recorded before treatment. IOP and medication use were recorded every 3-4 months through up to 24 months of follow-up. Outcomes were analysed separately in the IOP and MED groups. RESULTS: Among 33 right eyes (left eye outcomes were similar) in the IOP group, mean (SD) IOP was significantly reduced from 21.7 (7.5) mm Hg to 16.2-17.1 mm Hg over follow-up (p<0.0177); medication use remained unchanged (p>0.05) at all time points. Among 36 right eyes in the MED group, mean medication use was 1.9 (0.9) at baseline and ranged from 1.2 to 1.4 medications per eye through follow-up (p<0.0033), and mean IOP was significantly reduced at months 1-6 (to 13.1 (2.3) mm Hg, p=0.0013), months 13-18 (to 14.3 (2.8), p=0.0136) and unchanged at other time points. No vision-threatening adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Afro-Caribbean patients with OAG at risk for progression can achieve clinically and statistically significant reductions in IOP or medications through up to 24 months following a single 360° SLT treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02375009.