TREATMENT OF REFRACTORY GLAUCOMA WITH ND- YAG LASER CYCLOPHOTOCOAGULATION

We treated 54 eyes of 51 patients with refractory glaucoma by using co ntact transscleral Neodymium: YAG laser cyclophotocoagulation; 32 burn s (7 watts during 0.7 second) were applied to each eye by positioning the anterior edge of the probe at 0.5 to 1 mm from the limbus. The mea n preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) was 33.7 mmHg and the mean p ostoperative IOP was 25.6 mmHg with a follow-up of five months. There was a decrease of IOP in 72.3% of the cases. The postoperative IOP was controlled (IOP < 21 mmHg) in 41.3% of the treated eyes. Pain decreas ed in 6.7% of the cases that had no control of IOP and they could stop their medical treatment. During the follow-up period we observed neit her early post operative hypertonia nor phtisis bulbi. Three eyes had scleral perforations. Laser treatment can be repeated if necessary in no controlled IOP cases. We had less complications with the laser trea tment than with cyclocryoapplication. We described the advantages of t he contact probe used.