Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) procedure

Hi @ew100, as we wait to hear from others who may have had laser trabeculoplasty, I thought you might appreciate these articles that talk about the procedure and a video from Mayo Clinic.

- Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty: 10 Commonly Asked Questions https://www.glaucoma.org/treatment/selective-laser-trabeculoplasty-10-commonly-asked-questions.php
- Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) http://tricountyeye.com/2015/04/selective-laser-trabeculoplasty-slt/

I have had SLT treatment for glaucoma twice with great success and no side effects. The first time was in 2007 and the second time in 2012, apparently it can be repeated as often as necessary. I hope this is not too late to be useful to you. Good luck.

So I have been on drops (Latanaprost & Combigan & Restasis for about 16 years. Had the SLT procedure done 1 year ago. Pressures are now 13-15 range and down from 23-25 range. So quite happy with the results so far. The procedure is a piece of cake really. Only slight temporary discomfort and minimal post operative care is usually needed. I would go for the SLT procedure for sure. Good luck no matter what you decide.

Thanks for posting . The edification is great. Appreciate your efforts .

Had SLT procedure 1 year ago. Pressures are 13-15 now. with drops. Should I consider doing SLT again as a Maintenance procedure even with pressures this low ? Or wait until pressures increase again ? Thank you. I am type2 Diabetic with OAG.

Hi, @azpowells - wanted to let you know I moved your post here, as it was related to Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) and I thought it would be helpful for members to find the information on this all in one place.

Hoping members like @lizziemnz @ew100 will have some thoughts for you on whether you might consider doing SLT again as a maintenance procedure even with pressures at 13-15 now, or wait until pressures increase again. @ashby1947 @angela66 and @rosemarya also may have some input for you.

What does your ophthalmologist say about repeating the SLT procedure, azpowells?

Hi Lisa, Thanks for moving my post where it is more appropriate. That is my problem. My eye Dr. is so busy that he is pushing patients off on the already over crowded O.D. and I am NOT getting questions answered in a suitable manor lately. Soon this town will be over run with Snow Birds and NO answers will be forth coming as the patient load increases tremendously for 6 months. My SLT was done only 10 months ago and, in my humble & layman opinion, that the suggestion to do a "yearly SLY Maintenance" procedure is just placing me & others on the Vicious Medicare tread mill and only because of how often Medicare will pay and not really medically needed. Also still taking 3 drops a day which I was told the SLT would eliminate ? Not sure what high IOP is considered but 13-15 range surely cannot be considered terrible for a Diabetic with open angle Glaucoma. At this point I am feeling rather "used" and frustrated. Thanks for your oversight, compassion and help.
I believe I will be canceling the SLT procedure scheduled for December. Just does not feel right and I have to be 100% on board. Thanks again.

@azpowells, I cancelled my very 1st SLT to the displeasure of my ophthalmologist! I read that the most we can have is 2 SLT procedures! My neighbor told me she lost count of how many SLT she had and she still has to use 6 kinds of eye drops! I got very good news last week that after 1 month of switching from Latanoprost and Dorzolamide to Latanoprost to Dorzolamide+Timolol, my eye pressures came down to R11, L11 from R22, L18! I understand that these drops may stop working, then I have to experiment with different drops all over again! Hopefully I don't last that long!!! Life is not a box of chocolate for me at this stage of my life!

As mentioned above, I have had SLT twice, 5 years apart. I am lucky enough not to need drops at this stage, I visit my ophthalmologist regularly two or three times a year when he does various scans and tests. He has never at any stage suggested having SLT as a maintenance procedure.

Not sure if drops are still needed because the Doctors have never even brought this up. They all seem to cramped and busy to share any quality time for real answers. Being a professional Heavy Mechanic I can say that one would NEVER do a procedure just to say it was for maintenance if the part or system was working correctly. Thus the old adage "if not broken don't fix it". If my pressures were elevated I could agree to try SLT again but in my humble opinion this is not medically indicated at this time.Thanks for the reply.I have been taking Latanaprost and Combigan for about 16 years and Restasis for about 10 years. Wow your pressures are very low. Continued success and thanks again.