Topical Anesthesia Offers Sufficient Pain Control for MicroPulse Transscleral Laser Therapy for Glaucoma

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Technology
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• MicroPulse Transscleral Laser Therapy (TLT) is a treatment option for certain ophthalmic conditions.
• Evaluating patient comfort and quality of life during and after TLT is crucial for treatment acceptance.
• Anesthesia protocols significantly influence patient experience during ophthalmic procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare patient pain and vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) during and after MicroPulse TLT.
• To evaluate the efficacy of "Topical Plus" anesthesia versus analgosedation with standby anesthesia for MicroPulse TLT.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective comparative chart review of patients undergoing MicroPulse TLT.
• Pain assessment using an analog scale at multiple time points (baseline, 1 hour, 6 hours, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month).
• Comparison of VRQoL at baseline and 1 month post-treatment.

Main Results:

• A mild, transient increase in pain was reported immediately after TLT under Topical Plus anesthesia (p=0.003).
• No significant pain differences were observed at later time points compared to baseline.
• Vision-related quality of life remained similar between groups and was not negatively impacted by TLT at 1 month.

Conclusions:

• Topical Plus anesthesia provides adequate pain control for MicroPulse TLT.
• MicroPulse TLT under Topical Plus anesthesia does not negatively affect vision-related quality of life.
• This study suggests the feasibility of performing MicroPulse TLT under topical anesthesia, though larger studies are needed.