The effectiveness of combined laser treatment technology in patients with glaucoma

Purpose: to study the effectiveness of combined laser treatment in patients with the advanced primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).Material and methods: the present study included 63 patients with POAG. They were divided into the studied group (32 eyes) and control group (31 eye). Patients age ranged from 65 to 78 years (mean 70.68 ± 4.39 years in the studied group and 69.48 ± 3.82 in the control group). Intraocular pressure (IOP) in all patients was compensated with antihypertensive drops, and in average was 20.36 ± 1.27 mm Hg in the studied group and 20.02 ± 1.43 mm Hg in the control group. The number of antihypertensive drugs used before surgery ranged from 2 to 3 (average 2.40 ± 0.49 in the studied group and 2.51 ± 0.50 in the control group). YAG-LAT was performed with Lightlas YAG Nd-YAG laser (Lightmed, USA). Microimpulse transcleral cyclophotocoagulation (mTS-CPC) was performed with Cyclo G6 Glaucoma Laser System (IRIDEX, USA). In the studied group, all patients had YAG-LAT with mTS-CPC; in the control group – mTS-CPC. Patients were examined on days 1 and 7; and then in 1, 3 and 6 months after the treatment. The obtained results were summarized in a table and were statistically processed.Results: in the studied group, on day 1 after the intervention IOP was (mm Hg): 19.36 ± 1.36, in the control group – 19.45 ± 1.15; on day 7: studied group – 20.59 ± 1.5, control group – 19.9 ± 2.68; in one month: studied group – 13.95 ± 1.67, control group – 15.8 ± 1.5; in three months: studied group – 15.04 ± 1.13, control group – 16.48 ± 1.12; in 6 months: studied group – 15.27 ± 1.77, control group – 16.23 ± 1.41.Conclusion: the combined laser technology which includes YAG-laser activation of the trabecula and mTS-CPC is an effective and safe method for lowering intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma