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Patient PortalSLT Laser Treatment
A gentle, in-office laser that awakens your eye's natural drainage system. No incisions. No implants.
What is SLT?
SLT stands for Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty. It is a 5–10 minute in-office laser procedure that stimulates your eye's natural drainage cells — a structure called the trabecular meshwork — to work more efficiently.
Think of your eye's drainage system like a clogged sink. SLT does not unclog it surgically or install a new pipe. Instead, it gently stimulates the drain pipes that are already there, encouraging them to open up and drain fluid better. It is physiologically gentle and repeatable.
Why SLT first? SLT is step one of the R's Framework because it is the most physiologically gentle option available. It preserves all future treatment options. If SLT alone is not enough, you can move to the next step with nothing lost.
What To Expect — Before, During, And After
Before your procedure: You will instill numbing drops. We will place a contact lens on your eye to help focus the laser. You will be positioned at the laser machine, and everything will feel stable and controlled.
During the procedure: You will hear a soft clicking sound and see brief flashes of light. You will feel slight pressure — like someone gently pressing on your eye — but no pain. The laser treats approximately 360° of your drainage canal, which takes about 5–10 minutes total.
After the procedure: Your eye may feel gritty or slightly irritated, similar to a mild scratch. You will use anti-inflammatory drops four times daily for one week. Most patients resume normal activities the same day. The inflammation resolves quickly with proper drop use.
Recovery timeline
- Same day: Mild grittiness and light sensitivity expected. Use prescribed anti-inflammatory drops 4 times daily (morning, midday, evening, bedtime). Can resume normal activities immediately.
- Days 1–7: Continue anti-inflammatory drops 4 times per day. Eye may feel slightly irritated; sensation resolves as inflammation decreases. No restrictions on activity or driving.
- Week 2: First follow-up visit. Eye feels completely normal. Anti-inflammatory drops typically discontinued after 1 week unless inflammation persists.
- Weeks 4–12: SLT effect builds gradually. Your pressure may continue to drop during this window. Full effect visible by 10–12 weeks when we perform the complete evaluation.
Your Follow-up Schedule
After SLT, we see you at regular intervals to make sure the procedure is working and to manage any minor inflammation.
What we are watching for
- Inflammation (usually minimal and resolves quickly)
- Pressure drop timing and magnitude
- Any unusual symptoms or reactions
- Your response compared to expected outcomes
Our Outcomes — What EPSAZ Patients Experience
Here is what we see in our database of 1,442 patients who had SLT, followed for 12 months:
What these numbers mean: SLT achieves about a 13% pressure reduction on average — sufficient for many patients to reach their target pressure. Very few patients experience complications. Those who do have minor, easily managed inflammation. The safety profile is essentially identical to wearing contact lenses for an hour.
Who does well with SLT? Patients with mild to moderate glaucoma, good drainage anatomy, and early-stage disease are ideal candidates. Your doctor will confirm that SLT is right for you based on your eye anatomy and pressure target.
What if SLT is not enough? If your pressure is not at target after 12 weeks, we consider a repeat application of SLT (studies have shown a 70% response rate for repeat SLT if no response from first attempt) or discuss moving to the next step on the R's Framework — usually ABiC rejuvenation or another option suited to your anatomy and pressure goal.