A new study by Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology in London shows selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is more successful and more cost-effective for newly diagnosed glaucoma cases than intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering eye drops.
The three-year trial involved 718 patients with newly-diagnosed glaucoma or ocular hypertension who were assigned either drops or SLT. Results showed patients who received SLT were more regularly at target IOP and required less treatment escalation and less need for more invasive glaucoma surgery and cataract extractions than patients who received eye drops. If the results from this study prove to be the same for patients who have not been newly diagnosed with glaucoma, the savings could reach £250 million per year, said lead researcher Dr Gus Gazzard.
“In this study, we have shown that a simple, safe, pain-free laser treatment not only works better than eye-drops at preventing glaucoma from deteriorating but also costs the NHS less. These results strongly suggest that laser should be the first treatment for glaucoma in all newly diagnosed patients and will provoke further interest in its use in patients who are already on treatment.”
The results for SLT patients also showed longer lasting eye pressure lowering than earlier data suggested, he said, adding an ongoing follow-up study, due to conclude in 2020, will provide more information on the long-term effects.
