Laser trabeculoplasty in open angle glaucoma

We have treated 54 eyes that were considered candidates for trabeculectomy with argon laser trabeculoplasty. One hundred burns were placed in the trabecular meshwork right in front of the scleral spur in the lower two quadrants. Average prelaser IOP was 26.2 mmHg and average postlaser IOP was 18.3 mmHg. Four eyes (7.4%) went to further surgery. Mean follow-up time was 3.5 months. There were few complications. Most important was a transitory increase of IOP larger than 10 mmHg in 7 eyes (13.0%). There was one case of acute iridocyclitis.