How Does SLT Laser Treat Glaucoma? Let’s Take A Look
However, there are still situations where eye drops don’t reduce IOP enough to bring it into acceptable ranges to protect the optic nerve, either because the medication itself isn’t effective enough or because the treatment produces negative side effects. Some patients find it difficult to keep up with drop schedules, which also makes drop therapy hard to work with.
SLT laser is considered when an eye doctor believes another course of action is necessary to prevent further harm to the optic nerve. Read on to learn more about this fascinating procedure!
What is SLT?
Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty is a well-established procedure designed around the use of the Nd:YAG laser. While this technology is used across all sorts of professions — manufacturing, dentistry, dermatology, and even automobile applications — it is primarily utilized in ophthalmology to perform a range of tasks. This can include treating secondary cataracts and clearing away eye floaters in the vitreous, and glaucoma management.
SLT acts as an excellent stand-in when traditional glaucoma eyedrop therapies aren’t able to lower IOP enough on their own. The laser’s light energy targets the eye’s trabecular meshwork, the primary outflow pathway of fluid from the eye, and stimulates tissue remodeling to improve drainage. This can make future drop regimens much more effective, and even opens the possibility to allow patients to eliminate eyedrops from their treatment plan altogether, based on a recent study.
How Does SLT Surgery Work?
The process of an SLT procedure is safer than its predecessor, argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) which, while effective, was replaced by this more efficient and safer method.
Overall, SLT is a noninvasive laser procedure: the YAG laser beam specifically targets certain sections of the trabecular meshwork to create more openings for eye fluid to drain through. With more openings in the meshwork, IOP is more easily brought down to a safe level, especially in combination with drop therapy.
One of the big benefits of SLT surgery is the minimal amount of side effects patients experience after a successful procedure. As with almost every eye surgery, irritation, dryness, and post-op inflammation aren’t unheard of over the next week or two, and IOP might even increase slightly after the treatment. However, most side effects tend to wear off quickly, usually after the first day.
How Long Does SLT Surgery Last?
The intraocular pressure-reducing effects of SLT surgery are meant to last a long time, but not forever. In most cases, a successful procedure will serve the eye well for the next one to five years. If its effects wear off or steadily degrade over the years, the laser’s “selective” nature with the trabecular meshwork allows it to be easily and safely repeated by your eye doctor if the initial treatment was successful for a time.
Manage Your IOP and Your Spending with Nanodropper
Run out of your glaucoma drop supply frequently? It’s not surprising, especially considering most eye drop bottles are designed to put out too much medication for the eye to actually absorb, leading to a lot of waste whenever you give your dropper a squeeze.
While there are great options to manage glaucoma such as SLT, eyedrops are still the first line of treatment and are typically used in conjunction with other interventions. Nanodropper Adaptors were created to minimize drop output to the correct size, providing the dual benefits of saving money and protecting your eyes from overdosing on medication. Check out our shop and see how you can invest in your glaucoma management today!
This article has been reviewed by a medical professional. Please consult your eye doctor for medical advice.