Effects of laser trabeculoplasty on intraocular pressure in the medically untreated eye

Laser trabeculoplasty was carried out in one eye in each of 38 patients, 37 with chronic open-angle glaucoma and 1 with low-tension glaucoma, whose visual fields were deteriorating. The patients were randomly assigned to receive 10, 50 or 100 burns. Topical therapy was stopped for 1 week before treatment and for 1 week before reassessment 6 weeks later. Patients who received 50 or 100 burns had significant pressure reduction (p = 0.000). The difference in mean reduction between these two groups was not significant. Ten burns occasionally produced a reduction in pressure. Some patients may need fewer laser burns than are currently given, but most require the current treatment schedules.