Micropulse laser trabeculoplasty (MLT) is an updated take on selective laser trabeculoplasty, designed to reduce patient discomfort and tissue damage with “cool off” periods. New research is showing that, at least regarding the cornea, it’s living up to that potential.

Greek investigators recently found that a single session of MLT did not affect central corneal thickness (CCT) or corneal endothelium parameters in eyes with primary open‐angle glaucoma (POAG) and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.³ The team looked at 20 eyes of 20 POAG patients and 18 eyes of 18 pseudoexfoliation glaucoma patients. Both groups underwent 360 degrees treatment with 532nm MLT. The researchers recorded the subjects’ CCT, endothelial cell count, hexagonal cell ratio and coefficient of variation of endothelial cells prior to the MLT procedure and at one, three and six months after.

They found that MLT treatment for both groups resulted in significantly lower intraocular pressures compared with baseline, demonstrating the procedure’s efficacy. But, just as important is the treatment’s safety metrics. At the one-, three- and six-month follow ups, the investigators recorded no significant changes from baseline in CCT, endothelial cell count, hexagonal cell ratio or coefficient of variation of the endothelial cell size.