Selective laser trabeculoplasty was introduced worldwide in 1995. Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) has been used to treat open angle and other forms of glaucoma and this technique has the advantages of less collateral tissue damage as well as efficacy following additional future treatments. It uses a lower-level laser to open the drainage angle of the eye. Selective laser trabeculoplasty is a safe and highly innovative technique of reducing lower intraocular pressure (IOP) in intraocular hypertension and many types of glaucoma, which does not respond to common medications.

Selective laser trabeculoplasty uses a combination of frequencies allowing the laser to work at very low levels, aimed at the cells causing obstruction in the fluid drainage of the eye. At the beginning of the procedure, eye drops are placed in the patient’s eye in order to decrease the amount of fluid and also at the same time, to prevent an increase in the IOP after surgery. Then the Laser beams are directed at the target cells in order to open the spaces and enlarge the canal, allowing fluid to drain freely.

Selective laser trabeculoplasty(SLT) has no harmful effects on other tissues of the eye during the procedure but however successes with Selective laser trabeculoplasty(SLT) vary . Thus SLT does not rely on medicines, but instead, it uses an advanced laser system to target only specific cells of the eye. It can also be an alternative for those patients who have been treated unsuccessfully with traditional laser surgery or with pressure lowering eye drops. This entire procedure only takes a few moments.