■ The European Glaucoma Society (EGS) recently accepted laser in its guidelines as first-line glaucoma therapy, putting laser on equal footing with eye drops. This opens the door for a number of laser companies to increase their penetration of European markets.

The EGS guidelines represent recommendations on the diagnosis and management of glaucoma to standardize practice within the European Union. The new guidelines, the Society’s 5^th edition, were presented at the annual EGS meeting in December.

Iridex Corporation was one of the first to embrace the new opportunity. The company said its micropulse trans-scleral laser therapy (TLT), performed using the Iridex Cyclo G6 Laser System and MicroPulse delivery device, has relevance in the new EGS guidelines.

“We are very encouraged with the broadening recognition of MicroPulse TLT in the ophthalmic community,” said David Bruce, Iridex CEO. “Inclusion in the EGS guidelines plus 9 papers presented in the society’s meeting shows the growing adoption of this effective nonincisional therapy for the management of glaucoma disease.”

Micropulse TLT is a nonincisional procedure that substantially reduces IOP for a broad range of glaucoma types and severity. The procedure can be used for primary open-angle, closed-angle, and refractory glaucoma. It’s a repeatable treatment option that can be performed before, during, or after other glaucoma interventions.