Laser treatment for open angle glaucoma. A one year follow-up.

Of 52 eyes treated with argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) 49 were considered to be well controlled after treatment. At the one year follow-up of these latter eyes 7 showed either a high IOP (greater than 22 mmHg), in spite of medical treatment (4 eyes), or progression in visual field defects (3 eyes). No further deterioration was seen when 35 eyes were re-examined at 18 months. There were no serious complications that could be attributed with certainty to ALT. Rapidly healing corneal burns, previously not systematically studied, were noticed in 80% of the eyes.