PRIMARY ARGON-LASER TRABECULOPLASTY VS PILOCARPINE .3. LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON VISUAL-FIELDS

In a prospective randomized study on primary argon laser trabeculoplas ty vs piloparpine in 82 newly detected open-angle glaucoma patients, v isual field changes were analysed for absolute changes over 2 years on automated threshold perimetry and manual Goldmann perimetry. Regressi on analysis was also performed using the threshold perimetry examinati ons taken every second month. Analyses based on automatic perimetry we re corrected for eventual bias due to cataract and induced miosis. The re was significantly less decay of visual field in the group treated w ith laser. This was even more pronounced for eyes with capsular glauco ma, especially in the early stage. For the smaller group with simple g laucoma no significant advantage of laser could be shown. Successful i ntraocular pressure reduction significantly improved the visual field outcome. Laser trabeculoplasty is therefore recommended as primary the rapy in capsular glaucoma.