Corneal topographic alterations after selective laser trabeculoplasty

To investigate the presence of corneal alterations in the long term among patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) after a single session of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) treatment.

The files of the POAG patients who had been treated with SLT were evaluated retrospectively. The Pretreatment Scheimpflug corneal topographic (SCT) findings were then compared with the post-treatment findings.

The files of 33 patients were eligible. The changes in central corneal thickness, thinnest point of cornea, and posterior corneal asphericity at 5 and 8 mm were statistically significant (p = 0.03, 0.01, 0.02, and 0.04 respectively). On the other hand, the simulated K, anterior 3 mm K, anterior 5 mm K, posterior 3 mm K, posterior 5 mm K, anterior asphericity at 3 mm, posterior asphericity at 3 mm, and Zernike values did not change significantly following the treatment (p = 0.19, 0.08, 0.1, 0.3, 0.2, 0.75, 0.09, and 0.3 respectively).

SLT can slightly alter pretreatment SCT findings in 3-6 months. Clinicians should wait for at least 6 months after SLT before performing any subsequent surgeries that depend on corneal parameters.