Efficacy of Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty in Phakic and Pseudophakic Patients with Open-Angle Glaucoma

Objective : To compare the efficacy of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) in terms of intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction between phakic and pseudophakic patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG). Methods:  Phakic and pseudophakic patients with OAG who had IOP ³15 mmHg treated with ³2 topical anti-glaucoma medications were enrolled. Pseudophakic eyes with history of complicated phacoemulsification were excluded. SLT was performed 270 degrees by one surgeon under the same protocol. IOP was measured with applanation preoperatively and at 1 hour, 1 week, 3 weeks and 3 months postoperatively. Results: There were 59 eyes (38 phakia and 21 pseudophakia) from 38 patients enrolled between September 2011 and August 2012. The mean IOP significantly decreased from 19.5±2.5 and 20.2±3.2 mm Hg preoperatively to 15.6±3.4 and 15.3±3.1 mm Hg postoperatively at 3 months in phakic and pseudophakic group respectively. Mean IOP reduction was not significantly different between phakic (3.9± 3.1 mmHg) and pseudophakic group (5.0±3.06 mmHg, p=0.197). The non-inferiority test indicated that mean IOP reduction in pseudophakic group was non-inferior to phakic group (p=0.012). Conclusion: SLT was effective for IOP reduction in both phakic and pseudophakic eyes with OAG. The efficacy of SLT in pseudophakic eyes was not inferior to phakic eyes.