Influence of Biometric Variables on Refractive Outcomes after Cataract Surgery in Angle-closure Glaucoma Patients

Changes in Corneal Higher-Order Aberrations and Ocular Biometric Measurements after Phacoemulsification Combined with Goniosynechialysis in Primary Angle Closure/Glaucoma Patients

Purpose

To compare corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs), refractive error, and ocular biological parameters before and after phacoemulsification combined with goniosynechialysis (Phaco-GSL) in primary angle closure/glaucoma (PAC/PACG) patients with different axial lengths (ALs).

Methods

In this prospective study, cataract patients diagnosed with PAC/PACG were categorized into two groups based on their ALs: the short AL group (AL ≤ 22.5 mm) and the normal AL group (22.5 < AL ≤ 24.5 mm). The pre- and postsurgery measurements of intraocular pressure (IOP) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were conducted at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Additionally, the assessments included corneal HOAs, the number of antiglaucoma medications, visual field parameters, manifest refraction, and other ocular biological parameters before surgery and at the final follow-up.

Results

Prior to surgery, the two groups exhibited no significant differences, except for AL, curvature value, and Z (4, 0) of the posterior corneal surface (all P < 0.01). Following surgery, BCVA improved, and IOP decreased significantly in both groups (P < 0.01). Both anterior and total corneal HOAs, along with Z (3, -3), increased in the two groups (all P < 0.05), with the normal AL group exhibiting a significantly greater increase in total cornea Z (3, -3) than the short AL group (P=0.047). The normal AL group also exhibited a slight tendency towards hyperopia (P < 0.01). Significant changes were observed in the visual field index and mean deviation in both groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Phaco-GSL resulted in an increased corneal HOAs, particularly trefoil, with variations based on the patient's AL. Patients with normal ALs tended to shift towards hyperopia after surgery.

Refractive outcomes among glaucoma patients undergoing phacoemulsification cataract extraction with and without Kahook Dual Blade goniotomy

BACKGROUND

Glaucoma patients undergoing phacoemulsification alone have a higher rate of refractive surprise compared to patients without glaucoma. This risk is further increased with combined filtering procedures. Indeed, there are few and conflicting reports on the effect of combined phacoemulsification and micro-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). Here, we look at refractive outcomes of glaucoma patients undergoing phacoemulsification with and without Kahook Dual Blade (KDB) goniotomy.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review of 385 glaucomatous eyes of 281 patients, which underwent either phacoemulsification alone (n = 309) or phacoemulsification with KDB goniotomy (n = 76, phaco-KDB) at the University of Colorado. The main outcome was refractive surprise defined as the difference in target and postoperative refraction spherical equivalent greater than ±0.5 Diopter (D).

RESULTS

Refractive surprise greater than ±0.5 D occurred in 26.3% of eyes in the phaco-KDB group and 36.2% in the phacoemulsification group (p = 0.11). Refractive surprise greater than ±1.0 D occurred in 6.6% for the phaco-KDB group and 9.7% for the phacoemulsification group (p = 0.08). There was no significant difference in risk of refractive surprise when pre-operative IOP, axial length, keratometry or performance of KDB goniotomy were assessed in univariate analyses.

CONCLUSION

There was no difference between refractive outcomes of glaucomatous patients undergoing phacoemulsification with or without KDB goniotomy.

Trabecular Meshwork Height in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Versus Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma

PURPOSE

To determine if trabecular meshwork (TM) height differs between primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) eyes.

DESIGN

Prospective, cross-sectional clinical study.

METHODS

Adult patients were consecutively recruited from glaucoma clinics at the University of California, San Francisco, from January 2012 to July 2015. Images were obtained from spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (Cirrus OCT; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc, Dublin, California, USA). Univariate and multivariate linear mixed models comparing TM height and glaucoma type were performed to assess the relationship between TM height and glaucoma subtype. Mixed-effects regression was used to adjust for the use of both eyes in some subjects.

RESULTS

The study included 260 eyes from 161 subjects, composed of 61 men and 100 women. Mean age was 70 years (SD 11.77). There were 199 eyes (123 patients) in the POAG group and 61 eyes (38 patients) in the PACG group. Mean TM heights in the POAG and PACG groups were 812 ± 13 μm and 732 ± 27 μm, respectively, and the difference was significant in univariate analysis (P = .004) and in multivariate analysis (β = -88.7 [24.05-153.5]; P = .008).

CONCLUSION

In this clinic-based population, trabecular meshwork height is shorter in PACG patients compared to POAG patients. This finding may provide insight into the pathophysiology of angle closure and provide assistance in future diagnosis, prevention, and management of the angle-closure spectrum of disorders.