Abstract

Short pulsed laser trabeculotomy has been shown to reduce intraocular pressure in patients with primary open angle glaucoma. This study seeks to determine the energy levels required to produce a fistula into the canal of Schlemm for four different Q-switched neodymium-YAG lasers. The laser was fired at fixed human trabecular meshwork specimens at a range of energy settings for each laser and the characteristics and replicability of the lesions produced were analysed. Energy levels between 3 and 5 mJ were sufficient to produce fistulae into the canal of Schlemm with an approximately 50% success rate for each instrument.