For a study, researchers sought to compare intraocular pressure (IOP) control after phacoemulsification in adult glaucomatous eyes with a functioning non-valved Aurolab Aqueous Drainage Implant (AADI) to eyes that did not have cataract extraction post-AADI. Investigators reviewed the records of 47 patients (47 eyes) who had clear corneal phacoemulsification after AADI placement and had a minimum of 2 years of follow-up in this retrospective study. The control group included 89 patients (89 eyes) with a functional AADI at 1 year, a minimum of 3 years of post-AADI follow-up, and no cataract extraction.
Failure (IOP >21 mm Hg or increased by >20% from per phacoemulsification level requiring at least 1 additional glaucoma medication, IOP ≤5 mm Hg, glaucoma reoperation, or loss of light perception vision) was the primary outcome measure. The median time between AADI and phacoemulsification was 11.5 months (range: 4 to 68 months), with a mean follow-up time of 35.6 somewhat, about 6.4 months after phacoemulsification. At 2 years, the cumulative probability of failure in the phaco group was 14% (95% CI=6% -31%) and 6% (95% CI=3% -13%) in the control group (P=0.11). Mean IOP was reduced from 16.5, about 4.5 mm Hg preoperatively, to 15.4, about 4.7 mm Hg 2 years later (P=0.10). Mean LogMAR visual acuity improved from 1.1 somewhat about 0.6 preoperatively to 0.6 about 0.7 at 2 years later (P<0.001). After 2 years of follow-up, phacoemulsification resulted in visual improvement without a significant increase in IOP or increased risk of AADI failure in eyes with a pre-existing AADI.
Source:journals.lww.com/glaucomajournal/Fulltext/2022/06000/Intraocular_Pressure_Control_Following.14.aspx
