SLT or Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty, is a gentle, low-energy laser therapy, which triggers a natural healing response in the eye in order to reduce the IOP associated with glaucoma. SLT effectively lowers eye pressure in the majority of patients, but the length of time that pressure remains low depends on many factors, including: age of the patient, the type of glaucoma, and other medical conditions that may be present. In many cases medication may still be necessary, but in reduced amounts.
Note: Previously, Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT) was used to treat glaucoma. ALT uses a high-energy laser to “open” the clogged areas of the trabecular meshwork (the eye’s drainage system), allowing fluid to bypass this drainage system and flow out of the eye. However, unlike SLT, ALT causes permanent coagulative damage to the eye and cannot be repeated.
How is SLT performed?
SLT treatment takes just a few minutes to perform. Prior to treatment, your doctor will administer eye drops in order to prepare the eye and provide mild anesthesia. Then, gentle pulses of SLT laser light are delivered through a specially designed microscope, known as a slit lamp. The entire process takes just a few minutes. Once complete, your doctor may treat your eye with anti-inflammatory eye drops. One to three days after the procedure, your IOP should drop significantly. And of course, your doctor will want to re-check the treated eye during periodic follow-up visits.