UPDATE OF THE SUBCONJUNCTIVAL THC YAG (HOLMIUM) LASER SCLEROSTOMY ABEXTERNO CLINICAL-TRIAL - 30-MONTH REPORT/

A THC:YAG laser (thulium, holmium, chromium-doped YAG crystal) was use d to create 93 thermal sclerostomies ab externo in 81 glaucomatous eye s of 76 patients. Pulse energies of 80 to 120 mJ were used, with a rep etition rate of 5 pulses per second. Total energy levels to produce fu ll-thickness sclerostomies ranged from 1.4 to 7.2 J. Estimated probabi lity of success was 0.66 at 12 months and 0.57 up to 30 months. The me an intraocular pressure in the successful cases was 12.8 +/- 4.0 mm Hg .