 Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) can be used to treat open-angle glaucoma patients. The SLT procedure uses cold laser light therapy to stimulate the body’s own healing response to lower intraocular pressure, which can result from the onset of glaucoma. The painless treatment is administered in the physician’s office, takes only minutes to perform, and can lower eye pressures within days to weeks after treatment. SLT can be used in combination with drug therapy (eye drops), or it may be effective as a monotherapy, eliminating the need for medications altogether. Medicare and most private insurers pay for the procedure.
Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness in the United States and the most common among African-Americans. It is characterized by a buildup of fluid within the eye, causing intraocular pressure to increase. This pressure increase affects the optic nerve, resulting in cellular death and peripheral vision loss. In a healthy eye, fluid containing nutrients to bathe the eye and help the eyeball maintain its shape is continuously drained and replenished. However, in a person with glaucoma, this fluid either does not drain properly or is created in excess, resulting in pressure that, if left untreated, eventually damages the optic nerve. When this occurs, partial or total vision loss may result. Because vision loss is irreversible, early detection and treatment is critical. The only proven treatment for glaucoma is to lower intraocular pressure.
Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) works by treating only specific pigmented (melanin- producing) cells in the trabecular meshwork of the eye, leaving all other cells intact. The SLT mechanism promotes the body’s own natural healing response, allowing fluid to move more freely out of the eye to successfully lower intraocular pressure. SLT does not cause scarring or damage to the eye and therefore can be repeated if necessary.
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