Excimer laser trabeculostomy (ELT): An effective migs procedure for open-angle glaucoma

Abstract

Excimer laser trabeculostomy (ELT) is a safe and effective micro-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) procedure for the reduction of both intraocular pressure (IOP) and pressure-lowering medications in patients with open-angle glaucoma. Significantly less invasive relative to most current glaucoma surgical procedures, ELT preserves the integrity of the meshwork and Schlemm's canal, restoring natural outflow without the creation of blebs or the implantation of foreign bodies. Compared to filtering procedures such as trabeculectomy, ELT not only reduces the number of postoperative visits required to assure adequacy and stability but also eliminates most postoperative risks in both short and long terms. By minimizing the healing responses induced by tissue trauma and thermal effects inherent to other MIGS procedures, ELT enables a consistent lowering of IOP on a long-term basis. Furthermore, due to the minimal tissue trauma associated with tissue trauma associated with ultra-violet (UV) tissue photoablation, only a few small channels into Schlemm's canal have proven adequate to control the IOP. In addition, ELT can be readily performed concurrent with lensectomy with significant long-term pressure-lowering effects far greater than lensectomy alone, allowing the physician to address two pathologies in one surgical intervention.