Ab interno trabeculectomy: development of a novel device (Trabectome) and surgery for open-angle glaucoma.

To the Editor: As a respectful reader of this journal, I would appreciate a clarification regarding the recently published article by Francis et al Development of a Novel Device (Trabectome) and surgery for open-angle glaucoma. ‘‘Successes’’ with the device are readily enumerated. However, the authors discredit other novel treatments for increasing aqueous outflow in open-angle glaucoma which have had both longer and more successful clinical experience. The authors refer to ablation of the trabecular meshwork with an excimer laser as ‘‘having demonstrated limited success in clinical trials.’’ However, they provide no references for this statement. As I believe the editors and reviewers of the Journal of Glaucoma would prefer referenced information in the journal, please consider providing the references for your readers and for the authors, which, in contrast to the authors misinformation, reveal in multiple published studies that excimer laser ablation of the trabecular meshwork, excimer laser trabeculostomy, has documented short and longterm success in lowering intraocular pressure. I appreciate that the Journal of Glaucoma clarifies this omission to avoid misleading remarks being made without citation or balance. Thank you.