LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP OF THE ARGON-LASER TRABECULOPLASTY IN EYES TREATED 180-DEGREES AND 360-DEGREES OF THE TRABECULUM

The results obtained with the Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT) on 196 eyes with an average follow-up period of 5.24 years (maximum 9 years) have been reviewed. Of the 123 eyes treated with 75-115 burns in the 360-degrees of the trabecular meshwork, 71 eyes were successful with a follow-up of 64.3 +/- 28.3 months (mean +/- SD). This treatment reduced the previous anti-glaucomatous medical treatment in 35 eyes (28.5%). The remaining 73 eyes were treated with 40-60 burns in 180-degrees of the trabeculum, 38.4% (28 eyes) were successful therapeutically with a follow-up of 56.5 +/- 23.1 months. The treatment reduced the additional medical treatment in 9 eyes (12.3%). The comparison of these results and the survival curves of both groups showed statistically significant differences in favour of the treatment on 360-degrees of the trabeculum.