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Abstract #6543 Published in IGR 3-2
A year is a short time in glaucoma
Khaw PT; Papadopoulos MBritish Journal of Ophthalmology 2001; 85: 637-638
This editorial is centered around a paper by Broadway et al., who published long-term results of Molteno surgery. The mean follow-up of that study was 43 years. The point made by the authors of the editorial is that, although results seem to be pretty good after one year, they subsequently deteriorated in the following years, falling from a result of about 80% after one year to about 25% after four years. Furthermore, over the course of the study, 21% of patients had a deterioration of visual acuity. The question is whether the long-term success rate for patients could be improved by changing to techniques with the use of anti-metabolites, or how do results of tube surgery compare to cyclophotocoagulation or mitomycin trabeculectomy? Whatever the answer to these questions, the main point is that one-year results do not provide the answer to filtration surgery. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully learn from personal experience and, most of all, from large prospective studies.
Dr P. Khaw, Glaucoma Unit and Wound Healing Research Unit, Department of Pathology, Moorfields Eye Hospital and Institute of Ophthalmology, Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
Classification:
12.8.2 With tube implant or other drainage devices (Part of: 12 Surgical treatment > 12.8 Filtering surgery)
