Is post-SLT anti-inflammatory treatment necessary?

Reductions in intraocular pressure (IOP) and clinical discomfort in patients with glaucoma after topical anti-inflammatory treatment post-selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) were not significant or remarkable, according to a study.

After searching the literature for relevant studies related to the efficacy of post-SLT anti-inflammatory treatment on IOP reduction, the incidence of discomfort, and anterior chamber inflammation compared with those of placebo agents, researchers identified 5 randomized controlled trials.

Overall, 235 eyes were received anti-inflammatory treatment and 170 eyes received placebo post-SLT. No significant differences in IOP reduction effects were found between topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or steroids and placebo during 1 to 6 months follow-up.

One-hour to 1-week post-SLT, anti-inflammatory treatment was not found to have significant effects on pain/discomfort or the presence of anterior chamber cells

Reference
Chen YS, Hung HT, Guo SP, et al. Effects of anti-inflammatory treatment on efficacy of selective laser trabeculoplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol. 2021;doi: 10.1080/17512433.2021.1981860. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34524035.