Short-term effects of neodymium-YAG transscleral cyclocoagulation in patients with uncontrolled glaucoma

Transscleral Nd-YAG cyclocoagulation has been reported to lower intraocular pressure (IOP) in animals, eyes and more recently in human eyes. We treated 14 patients with uncontrolled IOP using this technique. Three patients were lost to follow-up. The mean follow-up time was 12 (SD 2.6) weeks. There was a decrease in IOP in all patients. Seven had final IOP readings less than or equal to 25 mmHg (63.6%). Six patients had IOP less than or equal to 21 mmHg (54.5%). Fairly severe complications occurred in most patients. None, however, developed phthisis bulbi. Two patients had one treatment (18%), eight patients had two treatments (72%), and one patient had three treatments (9%). This preliminary study confirms that Nd-YAG cyclocoagulation effectively lowers IOP in patients with uncontrolled glaucoma over the short term.