The detection and management of the acute rise in intraocular pressure following laser trabeculoplasty

Abstract

A series of 64 patients undergoing laser trabeculoplasty had pressures estimated immediately before treatment and at one, two and three hours and in some patients at four, 24 and 48 hours after treatment. Pilocarpine 4% was given topically to 33 patients in order to assess its effect in preventing a pressure rise. The mean pressure rise for the whole series was 4 mmHg, for those not using pilocarpine it was 4.9 mmHg, and for those using pilocarpine it was 3.2 mmHg. A significant pressure rise of 5 mmHg or more was usually apparent by two hours, and patients with no rise or a fall at two hours were very unlikely to develop a rise in pressure. Patients with an initial pressure greater than 20 mmHg, pseudoexfoliation of the lens capsule, and a shallow anterior chamber seemed more susceptible to a pressure rise while those with an initial pressure of 17 mmHg or less and only a slight reaction in the anterior chamber seemed very unlikely to develop a pressure rise. Treatment with acetazolamide, fluorometholone drops and hypotensive drops was usually successful in controlling the raised pressure.