Laser trabeculoplasty primary therapy in open-angle glaucoma. A preliminary report.

Thirty-three patients with chronic open-angle glaucoma were treated with argon laser trabeculoplasty as the primary therapeutic modality. In 18 patients (55%) successful normalization of intraocular pressure (less than 21 mm Hg) was achieved. Of these, ten patients underwent bilateral procedures and eight patients underwent unilateral treatment. The IOP was normalized within five weeks in 27 of these 28 eyes. During the follow-up period, ranging from six to 18.5 months, IOP has remained lower than 21 mm Hg in all the successfully treated eyes. In 15 patients (45%) the treatment failed to control IOP by four weeks. In these patients, only one eye was treated. Significant correlations with successful outcome included initial IOP, well-delineated angle landmarks, and date of treatment. The date of treatment was consistent with an improvement in the treatment administration over time.