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Laser trabeculoplasty versus medication treatment as primary therapy for glaucoma
Author(s) -
Tuulonen Anja,
Koponen Jari,
Alanko Hannu I.,
Airaksinen P. Juhani
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1989.tb01871.x
Subject(s) - medicine , glaucoma , intraocular pressure , ophthalmology , visual field , optic disc , open angle glaucoma , visual field loss , laser therapy , laser , optics , physics
The first‐year results of a 5‐year prospective randomized follow‐up study on 39 glaucoma patients, of whom 19 patients received laser trabeculoplasty and 20 patients medication therapy as primary treatment of their newly detected open‐angle glaucoma, are presented. The optic disc changes were recorded by measuring the magnification corrected neuroretinal rim area from stereoscopic optic disc photographs and the visual field changes with an automated perimeter. There were no statistically significant differences in success rate, intraocular pressure reduction, and optic disc or visual field changes between the two groups during the first year of follow‐up. In half of the laser treated patients the intraocular pressure was below 22 mmHg without medication treatment. Many patients in the medication group required frequent modifications of their therapy. Laser trabeculoplasty has an important role as primary therapy in glaucoma.