Microincisional Glaucoma Surgery
The preferred first-line therapy for glaucoma
Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT), plays a critically important role in the treatment of glaucoma. Around the world, thousands of physicians are deploying the procedure as a primary therapy tool that stimulates the eye’s natural healing response to effectively manage their patients’ IOP without the burn and scar tissue associated with argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT).
Watch how SLT (Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty), the recommended first-line therapy for glaucoma, gently reduces intraocular pressure.WATCH THE SLT ANIMATION
Reduce IOP — as effectively as medication
SLT is an advanced, non-thermal nanosecond laser treatment that can achieve reductions in IOP as effectively as medication, without the associated side effects or compliance problems.1 SLT is also ideally suited for glaucoma patients who are frustrated with the effectiveness of their medications; it can play a role in reducing their associated financial and lifestyle burdens.
Published in The Lancet, the pivotal results of the LiGHT trial compared the use of SLT versus eye drops as a first-line treatment for treatment-naïve patients who had open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension – and recommended SLT as first-line treatment for open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension, supporting a change in clinical practice.”
1 LiGHT study, The Lancet. 393.10175
Read the full journal article
The results of the LiGHT Trial support the findings by Katz et al in 2012, in which SLT was demonstrated to achieve the same IOP-lowering effects of medication when used a first-line therapy2.
Equivalent Efficacy to Medication
| SLT | MEDICATION | |
| Baseline IOP | 24.5 mm Hg | 24.7 mm Hg |
| Post-Treatment IOP | 18.2 mm Hg | 17.7 mm Hg |
2. Katz LJ, Steinmann WC, Kabir A, Molineaux J, Wizov SS, Marcellino G; SLT/Med Study Group. Selective laser trabeculoplasty versus medical therapy as initial treatment of glaucoma; a prospective, randomized trial. J Glaucoma. 2012,21:460-8
A restorative treatment approach
SLT works by applying selective photothermolysis of the pigmented trabecular meshwork cells. This intervention stimulates the release of proteins and cytokines and the recruitment of macrophages to improve the circulation of aqueous humor through the meshwork and the inner wall of the Schlemm’s canal without causing thermal or coagulative damage.
SLT versus ALT
Due to its restorative, non-destructive mechanism, SLT does not cause scarring of the trabecular meshwork and helps to keep Schlemm’s canal intact – making it the ideal adjunct procedure to MIGS options that target Schlemm’s canal. Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT), in contrast, causes scarring of Schlemm’s canal and thereby compromises the success of future MIGS procedures.
Trabecular Meshwork SLT 400 micron spot, 0.8 mJ/pulse
Trabecular Meshwork ALT 50 micron spot
R. Noecker, T. Kamm
A key tool in diagnosis
You can evaluate the result of intervention with SLT to estimate the location of the pathology. If the intervention is successful, the primary region of obstruction may lie within the trabecular meshwork, but if it is ineffective, then the primary obstruction may reside elsewhere. That’s why SLT can play a key role in helping both to understand a patient’s pathology and provide key information on the potential efficacy of future treatments.
Seamless pairing with MIGS
SLT pairs seamlessly with all MIGS procedures, including iTrack™ canal-based glaucoma surgery, as both a preoperative diagnostic aid or as a postoperative adjunct, and can be deployed synergistically to reduce the need for further medication or future filtration surgery.Learn more about the synergies of SLT and MIGS.
Proven capability
Ellex’s proprietary SLT technology delivers advanced energy control, a sharp-edged aiming beam and the industry’s fastest firing rate of three shots per second*. It’s a capability that’s being used every day by thousands of physicians around the world to visualize the trabecular meshwork in greater detail, and to perform procedures faster and with improved accuracy, delivering better patient outcomes – reliably, accurately and safely.
*Based on system performance testing. Data on file. Ellex Medical.
Surgical Management of Glaucoma
For surgical treatments we offer iStent (https://www.glaukos.com/istent-inject-procedure/), canaloplasty (https://omnisurgical.com/), goniotomy (https://www.newworldmedical.com/kahook-dual-blade/), endocyclophotocoagulation (http://endooptiks.com/patient-education.html), and XEN stent (https://www.xengelstent.com/)