EFFECT OF TOPICAL ANTIINFLAMMATORY TREATMENT ON THE OUTCOME OF LASER TRABECULOPLASTY

PURPOSE: We investigated the effect of anti-inflammatory treatment on the outcome of argon laser trabeculoplasty. METHODS: In this multicent er, double-masked, randomized, placebo controlled, parallel comparison study, 140 chronic open-angle glaucoma patients received either 0.25% fluorometholone or vehicle four times a day unilaterally, beginning 2 4 hours before and continuing one week after argon laser trabeculoplas ty. The laser surgeon placed 50 to 60 burns over the inferior 180 degr ees of the trabecular meshwork. The patients were followed up frequent ly for five weeks after the procedure. RESULTS: Following argon laser trabeculoplasty, signs of anterior chamber inflammation were significa ntly lower in the fluorometholone group. However, there was no signifi cant difference between the fluorometholone and the vehicle groups in the incidence of increased intraocular pressure in the immediate post- argon laser trabeculoplasty period, Intraocular pressure decreased sig nificantly in both groups from day 1 throughout the follow up period. A significant between group difference in intraocular pressure decreas e was found only at week 5 (7.83 +/- 6.27 [S.D] mm Hg for the fluorome tholone group vs 6.63 +/- 5.79 mm Hg for the vehicle group, P = .046). No drug-related clinically significant adverse events were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Use of fluorometholone is effective in attenuating inflam mation and has no clinically significant impact on the outcome of argo n laser trabeculoplasty or on the incidence of intraocular pressure sp ikes during the immediate post-argon laser trabeculoplasty period.