Study shows SLT reduces glaucoma-related blindness in the developing world

San Jose, CA-Lumenis Ltd. has pledged support to the work of Tony Realini, MD, MPH, in improving standards of care for glaucoma patients in underserved populations. Dr. Realini authored a recent study demonstrating the benefits of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) for the treatment of primary open-angle glaucoma in an African-ancestry population in St. Lucia, a sovereign island country in the Caribbean Sea.

The study found that 1 year after a single treatment using the Lumenis Selecta II SLT laser, more than 75% of patients remained well controlled and medication-free. Some 61 patients of African descent with confirmed open-angle glaucoma were included in the study. Both eyes demonstrated a prompt and sustained IOP response to SLT therapy. IOP dropped significantly by the first week and remained in the range of 13 to 14 mm Hg without medical therapy through 12 months.

“The impact of SLT on our patients’ lives in St. Lucia has been immensely gratifying to see. We have a 100% follow-up rate at the 2-year mark, a testament to the perceived value of SLT to this community,” said Dr. Realini, associate professor of ophthalmology, West Virginia University. “Our patients are thankful that they have received state-of-the-art glaucoma therapy, and many have expressed relief that they are no longer spending money on eyedrop medications.”