One of Long Island’s six fellowship-trained glaucoma specialists, Lawrence Jindra, MD— a Winthrop-University Hospital glaucoma expert — utilizing Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT), the state-of-the-art laser therapy used to manage glaucoma patients. Brings New Hope to Glaucoma Patients

One of Long Island’s six fellowship-trained glaucoma specialists, Lawrence Jindra, MD— a Winthrop-University Hospital glaucoma expert — utilizes Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT), the state-of-the-art laser therapy used to manage glaucoma patients.

Louise Leonard is one of the beneficiaries of his expertise. For 20 years, she endured her worsening glaucoma—a lifelong, degenerative eye disease that gradually steals sight without warning and often without symptoms. Despite the use of medication and traditional laser treatments, two years ago, her condition became very serious, threatening her ability to fulfill her responsibilities at work. What’s more, she could no longer tolerate the severe allergic reaction to her medication. “I was desperate; I knew I couldn’t go on like this. My eyes were so red and swollen that my eye doctor took one look at me and sent me to Dr. Jindra.”

Affecting between 3-5 million Americans, primary open angle glaucoma—the most common form of the disease—occurs when the eye’s drainage canals become clogged over time and the correct amount of eye fluid cannot drain out properly through the spongy tissue at the front of the eye. When that tissue is blocked, the inner eye pressure rises, reducing blood flow to the optic nerve and resulting in vision loss; if untreated, blindness is inevitable.

Optimal fluid pressure inside the eye is 12-to-14. When Dr. Jindra first examined Mrs. Leonard, her pressure was 40; after her first SLT treatment, it dropped to 18, which she sustains today. “He saved my life. I would have had to give up working,” she said.

Traditionally, glaucoma patients are treated with eye drops to lower and control the pressure. But, the medication can be very expensive. It can also be a nuisance to use effectively, and is often accompanied by uncomfortable side effects. Additionally, the drops cannot always control the condition. If that happens, patients may require glaucoma filtration surgery—a high-risk, invasive procedure—to create a new drainage channel.

While they may be a better alternative, conventional laser treatments also have drawbacks. “The procedure can cause scarring and the ability to retreat the eye is limited,” explained Dr.Jindra.

SLT triggers natural process

SLT is a major advancement over other laser therapy. It works by using short pulses of low-energy laser light, which target specific cells that stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanisms to help fluid drain out of the eye and lower the pressure.

This space-age procedure is used for patients first diagnosed with glaucoma, for those who have not benefited from traditional laser treatments or eye drops and for those, like Mrs. Leonard, who require, what Dr. Jindra described as rescue therapy. “Without SLT, Mrs. Leonard’s condition would have continued to decline, and, in all likelihood, she’d be very close to being blind today,” said Dr. Jindra.

“Our goal is to drop the pressure, keep it controlled, stabilize the deterioration of the optic nerve and avoid glaucoma filtration surgery,” explained Dr. Jindra. “This laser is remarkable. It lowers pressure without burning or scarring tissue, has none of the side effects of the medication, and may even reduce the need for the lifelong use of expensive eye drops or other medications.”

He continued. “This is a gentle, pain-free procedure that takes minutes to perform on an outpatient basis. Most patients go home with pressure reduced by as much as 35 percent after just one treatment. The eyes can also be retreated several times without harm.”

Dr. Jindra treats many of his patients in Winthrop’s Ambulatory Surgery Center. “We’re really doing innovative procedures here,” he said.

While Dr. Jindra has performed more than 1,000 SLT procedures, he stresses that prevention is the best medicine. “Vision loss from glaucoma is permanent, but the key to controlling it is early diagnosis and treatment,” he said. “Since there’s no way to determine if glaucoma exists or is under control by the way a person feels, regular testing by a professional is very important—especially for people over age 40.”

For more information about SLT or an appointment call 1-866-WINTHROP.