Transscleral neodymium:YAG laser cyclophotocoagulation for end-stage glaucoma, refractory glaucoma, and painful blind eyes.

We used transscleral Neodymium:YAG laser cyclophotocoagulation (TSYLCC) to treat 47 patients (47 eyes) with end-stage, refractory, or absolute glaucoma. The mean pretreatment intraocular pressure (IOP), 40.5 +/- 10.8 mm Hg, decreased a mean of 13 +/- 8 months following treatment to 15.6 +/- 10.6 mm Hg, a statistically significant change (P < .05). Our overall rate of success (final IOP < or = 25 mm Hg, with or without medications) was 79% (37 eyes). Early complications included pain (11 eyes) and inflammation (13 eyes); late complications included hypotony (7 eyes), high IOP (5 eyes), and decreased visual acuity (4 eyes). TSYLCC seems to be a safe, effective, and convenient outpatient procedure.