Effect of a single session of micropulse laser trabeculoplasty on corneal endothelial parameters

To evaluate the effect of a single session of micropulse laser trabeculoplasty on the cornea in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.

This single-centre, prospective, case series enrolled patients with primary open-angle and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma under treatment with glaucoma agents that required additional intraocular pressure reduction. Eyes underwent 360 degrees treatment with 532 nm micropulse laser trabeculoplasty. Central corneal thickness, endothelial cell count, hexagonal cell ratio and co-efficient of variation of endothelial cells were measured before micropulse laser trabeculoplasty and at one, three and six months after treatment.

Twenty eyes of 20 patients (mean age 67.6 ± 8.0 years) with primary open-angle glaucoma and 18 eyes of 18 patients (mean age 71.44 ± 6.43 years) with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma were included in the study. Treatment with micropulse laser trabeculoplasty resulted in statistically significantly lower intraocular pressure compared to baseline in both primary open-angle and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma eyes (p < 0.0001 at both comparisons). Central corneal thickness, endothelial cell count, hexagonal cell ratio and co-efficient of variation of the endothelial cell size showed no significant change between baseline and six months after micropulse laser trabeculoplasty in both primary open-angle and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma eyes.

A single session of micropulse laser trabeculoplasty did not affect central corneal thickness and corneal endothelium parameters in eyes with primary open-angle and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.