Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty, or SLT, is a type of laser that is used to lower eye pressure in patients suffering from Glaucoma. It is a type of “cold” laser that uses short pulses of low-energy light to improve fluid drainage in the eye. This results in a gradual lowering of eye pressure and it can take up to 3 months to see results. The laser is delivered via a microscope, similar to those used for eye examination. Before your treatment, anaesthetic eye drops are used to prepare the eye for the procedure and make sure you are comfortable. During the procedure, the laser will appear as pulses of light are applied to the eye via a special lens that rests on the eye. The procedure takes less than 5 minutes to perform and is usually painless. Rarely, you may experience a mild aching after the procedure but this resolves itself within about 24 hours. At Strathfield Retina Clinic, we use the Ellex Tango Reflex for SLT Laser treatment.

Patients with ‘open-angle glaucoma’ who need to lower their eye pressure to slow down the progression of glaucoma are best suited to SLT. This procedure is particularly useful for:

• Those who are intolerant to the side effects of glaucoma medication

• Those who have difficulty using or remembering to regularly use eye drops

• Those who only experience partial effectiveness from glaucoma medication and require their eye pressure to be lowered even further

• As an initial treatment for new diagnosis of glaucoma, to defer the need for medication right away