Laser trabeculoplasty in Turkey: what it is and how it lowers eye pressure
Laser trabeculoplasty is an outpatient laser treatment for open-angle glaucoma and for raised eye pressure (ocular hypertension). Fluid called aqueous humour is made constantly inside the eye and leaves through a sponge-like drainage tissue, the trabecular meshwork, at the angle where the iris meets the cornea. In open-angle glaucoma this drain works too slowly, pressure builds up and, over years, the optic nerve is damaged. The laser is aimed at the meshwork to improve how freely the fluid leaves, so pressure falls without a cut in the eye. Eye hospitals in Turkey offer it as a day-case procedure, often alongside the diagnostic tests needed to confirm that it is appropriate.
It does not cure glaucoma and it cannot restore vision that has already been lost; its aim is to lower pressure and protect the nerve you still have. This guide explains the two laser types, what the research says, who is suitable, what it costs compared with the UK, US and Germany, and how to choose a hospital. For the wider picture see our page on glaucoma treatment in Turkey.
What is the difference between SLT and argon laser trabeculoplasty?
Two lasers are used. Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) uses a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser with very short pulses. It is absorbed mainly by pigmented cells in the meshwork, so surrounding tissue is left largely undamaged, and the treatment can usually be repeated. Argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) is the older method; it uses a continuous thermal beam that leaves tiny burn marks and scarring, which is why it is rarely repeated. Most centres now prefer SLT, and when people search for laser trabeculoplasty they are usually asking about SLT.
Ask the hospital which laser it uses, which device, and whether treatment covers half the meshwork (180 degrees) or all of it (360 degrees). Both approaches are in use, and the surgeon should explain why one is chosen for you.
Does laser trabeculoplasty work, and how long does it last?
The evidence is good for the right patient. In trials, SLT lowers eye pressure by roughly a fifth to a third in many people with open-angle glaucoma, with a similar effect to a single pressure-lowering drop. The large LiGHT trial in the United Kingdom compared SLT with drops as first treatment and found SLT to be a sound and cost-effective option, and national guidance in England now lists it among first-line choices for newly diagnosed open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension. About one person in three or four does not respond, and some people respond only partly.
The effect is not permanent. It builds over four to six weeks and, in many people, fades over several years, which is why a repeat session or a return to drops is sometimes needed. Do not stop prescribed drops after laser unless your ophthalmologist tells you to, and keep regular pressure and visual-field checks, because glaucoma can progress without symptoms.
Who is suitable for laser trabeculoplasty, and who is not?
It suits adults with primary open-angle glaucoma, pigmentary or pseudoexfoliative glaucoma, or ocular hypertension, and people who struggle with drops because of side effects, cost, allergy or difficulty putting them in. It is also used as an add-on when drops alone do not reach the target pressure. The treatment needs a clear view of the drainage angle, so a pre-operative examination with a gonioscopy lens is essential.
It is generally not suitable for angle-closure glaucoma, where the drainage angle is physically narrow; there a different laser, laser iridotomy, is the usual first step. It is also less effective in advanced glaucoma with very high pressure, in some inflammatory or developmental glaucomas, and in an eye with a cloudy cornea that prevents the laser reaching the meshwork. When pressure is very high or the nerve is already badly damaged, glaucoma surgery may be advised instead.
Laser trabeculoplasty cost in Turkey compared with the UK, US and Germany
The figures below are approximate ranges per eye, not hospital quotes. They depend on whether one or both eyes are treated, the laser device, whether a full glaucoma work-up is included and the hospital's location. Each hospital confirms its own price in writing.
| Country | Approximate cost per eye |
|---|---|
| Turkey | €300 – €1,200 |
| United Kingdom | €800 – €2,500 |
| United States | €1,000 – €3,500 |
| Germany | €600 – €2,000 |
The price usually covers the consultation, the laser session and a short check afterwards. Extras to ask about include imaging of the optic nerve (OCT), a visual-field test, a second eye, post-laser eye drops and a follow-up pressure check before you travel home. A package built around a single short procedure is usually cheap; the real value is in a complete work-up that tells you whether laser is the right option.
How is laser trabeculoplasty done, step by step?
You arrive for a pre-treatment check of pressure and, if necessary, receive a drop to stop a pressure spike after the laser. Numbing drops are placed in the eye. You sit at a slit-lamp microscope, the surgeon rests a small contact lens with mirrors on the eye so the drainage angle can be seen, and the laser is applied in a ring of short pulses, commonly 50 to 100 spots for half the angle or more for the full circle. There is a bright flash and sometimes a mild ache. The whole session takes about ten minutes per eye. Some clinics treat both eyes on the same day; others treat one and review the pressure before the second.
No incision, stitches, patch or general anaesthetic are involved, so most people leave within the hour. Your pressure is checked again about an hour after the laser, because a short rise can occur in the first hours.
Laser trabeculoplasty, eye drops or surgery: how do they compare?
Drops remain the standard first option in many countries, laser is a drop-free alternative or an add-on, and surgery is held in reserve for pressure that cannot be controlled otherwise.
| Option | Suited to | Typical limits |
|---|---|---|
| Laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) | Open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension; people who cannot manage drops | Not everyone responds; effect often fades over years; needs a clear drainage angle |
| Pressure-lowering drops | Most people at diagnosis; long-term control | Daily use for life; side effects, cost and missed doses affect results |
| Glaucoma surgery | Advanced disease or pressure not controlled by drops and laser | Operation with recovery and its own risks; pressure can still need treatment |
The nearest alternatives in the same laser family are laser iridotomy for narrow angles and, for some advanced cases, procedures that bypass the meshwork altogether. The choice depends on your type of glaucoma, your pressure, the state of the optic nerve and your own preferences.
What does recovery from laser trabeculoplasty feel like?
Vision may be blurred for a few hours and the eye can feel gritty or slightly sore; light sensitivity and a mild headache are common on the first day. Most people resume normal activities the next day, including reading and light work, and drive once vision is clear and the surgeon agrees. Anti-inflammatory drops are normally prescribed for a few days. There is no need to avoid flying, but ask the surgeon when your pressure should be checked.
The pressure-lowering effect takes four to six weeks to show, so a trip of two to three days is enough for the treatment itself, but you need a plan for the later pressure check at home with your own ophthalmologist, and the Turkish hospital should send a report you can hand over.
What are the risks of laser trabeculoplasty?
It has a favourable safety record, but it is not free of risk. Common effects are blurred vision, discomfort and mild inflammation, which usually settle in days. A short rise in eye pressure within the first hours is possible, which is why pressure is rechecked before you leave. Less common effects include a lasting pressure rise, persistent inflammation, a small bleed at the angle, and, with the older argon laser, scarring of the meshwork. The treatment may simply not lower pressure enough. Sources such as the NHS and the American Academy of Ophthalmology describe laser trabeculoplasty as a low-risk option, and recommend that glaucoma care stays under regular specialist review.
What results should I expect, and what do before and after checks show?
You will not see a change, as glaucoma damage causes no pain and laser does not alter how your vision looks. The result is measured by numbers: your pressure before and after treatment, usually repeated at one hour, one to two weeks and six weeks, together with imaging of the optic nerve and visual-field tests over the following months. The aim is to reach a target pressure set by your specialist and keep the nerve stable. If the pressure does not fall enough, that is information, not failure; the next step is drops, a repeat session or surgery.
How do I choose an eye hospital, and what should I ask?
Look for a licensed hospital with a glaucoma or anterior-segment specialist, an SLT laser, gonioscopy and OCT imaging on site, and a clear plan for your continuing care at home. Red flags include a treatment offered without pressure measurement or examination of the drainage angle, promises that you can stop all drops, quotes with no breakdown, and no named surgeon. Read how our process works and ask for a plan through the free quote page. For a broader view of services see our eye treatments in Turkey.
- Which laser and which treatment area (180 or 360 degrees) do you plan for me?
- Will you measure pressure, examine the drainage angle and image the optic nerve first?
- What is the chance that I need to keep using drops?
- When and where should my pressure be checked after I go home?
- Can the treatment be repeated, and is the repeat covered by the package?
- Will you send a written report to my own eye doctor?
Hospitals with Eye Surgery in Turkey
Frequently asked questions
Laser trabeculoplasty is an outpatient laser treatment that improves how fluid drains from the eye, lowering pressure in open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension. It is done through the eye's surface with no incision, usually in about ten minutes per eye.
In many people it lowers eye pressure by a fifth to a third, similar to a single drop, and UK trial data support it as a first-line option. Some people respond little or not at all, so follow-up pressure checks matter.
Approximate ranges are €300 to €1,200 per eye in Turkey, against about €800 to €2,500 in the UK. The price depends on whether work-up tests are included and on how many eyes are treated. Hospitals confirm costs in a written quote.
The eye is numbed with drops. Most people feel a flash of light and sometimes a mild ache, then a gritty or sore eye for a few hours afterwards. Simple painkillers are normally enough.
The effect builds over four to six weeks and often fades over several years. Selective laser trabeculoplasty can usually be repeated, while the older argon laser is rarely repeated because it scars the meshwork.
Vision may be blurry for a few hours, and most people return to normal activities the next day. Anti-inflammatory drops are usually used for a few days, and a pressure check follows at one to six weeks.
Some people reduce or stop drops, but not everyone. Do not stop any prescribed drops unless your ophthalmologist confirms from your pressure readings that it is safe.
SLT carries fewer risks because there is no incision, but it is also less powerful. Surgery is reserved for advanced disease or pressure that drops and laser cannot control, so the two are not direct substitutes.
Usually not. Angle-closure glaucoma has a physically narrow drainage angle, and a laser iridotomy is the more common first step. An examination of the angle decides which laser is appropriate.
Two to three days normally cover the tests, the laser and a check of your pressure afterwards. The effect takes weeks to appear, so arrange a pressure check with your own eye doctor at home.