[Update on Current Care Guideline: Glaucoma]. / Avokulmaglaukooma.

The up-date of the Finnish Current Care Guideline for glaucoma is based primarily on systematic reviews searched up by March 2014. The recommendations are presented in nine tables, which are based on 95 graded statements with evidence summaries. The online availability (www.kaypahoito.fi) of the English translation of guideline and evidence summaries enables the verification of the evidence and recommendations. Ten external stakeholders gave a mean value of 1.8 (range of 1 = completely agree to 4 = completely disagree) for the structured questions (e.g. definitions, goals, questions, target users) and judged the evidence and the recommendations.

Incidence of glaucoma filtration surgery from disease onset of open-angle glaucoma.

AIMS: To investigate the rate and risk factors of undergoing glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS) in patients with newly diagnosed open-angle glaucoma (OAG). METHODS: This is a population-based historic cohort study, consisting of 9420 patients older than 45 years diagnosed with OAG during 1997-2010. Follow-up spanned from 1997 to 2017. We obtained data for trabeculectomy (TRE), deep sclerectomy (DS), and glaucoma drainage implant (GDI) surgeries from national administrative healthcare registers by hospital billing data. We plotted the cumulative incidence of GFS and carried out a multivariate Poisson regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, hospital district, systemic comorbidities, and the number of IOP-lowering drugs. We reported incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for GFS after the onset of OAG. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of GFS at 5 years from OAG onset was 3.1% and at 10 years 5.4%. Age over 80 years at baseline was associated with lower GFS incidence (IRR 0.51, CI 0.31-0.84). The number of IOP-lowering drugs in the first 2 years of treatment correlated with the risk of GFS increasing from (IRR 3.23, CI 2.32-4.50) for two drugs, (IRR 7.44, CI 5.28-10.47) for three and to (IRR 14.95, CI 10.38-21.52) for four drugs. CONCLUSION: This study characterized the treatment path of OAG from diagnosis to surgical intervention refining the role of GFS among glaucoma therapies.

The Finnish current care guideline for open-angle glaucoma.

This article is an English translation of the 4th Finnish Current Care Guideline for diagnostics, treatment and follow-up of primary open-angle glaucoma, normal-tension glaucoma and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma. This guideline is based on systematic literature reviews and expert opinions with Finland's geographical and operational healthcare environment in mind.

Endophthalmitis and blebitis following deep sclerectomy and trabeculectomy with routine use of mitomycin C.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the incidence for endophthalmitis and blebitis after deep sclerectomy (DS) and trabeculectomy with routine use of Mitomycin C (MMC) 0.4 mg/ml. METHODS: Electronic medical records of patients who underwent surgery 1/2008-4/2020 were reviewed. Cumulative incidence for bleb-associated infection (BAI), including both endophthalmitis and blebitis, was calculated with cumulative incidence function (CIF) and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Risk factors for BAI were evaluated with univariate competing risk regression analysis and Log-rank analysis. Competing event in CIF was death. RESULTS: In this retrospective single-centre cohort study, a total of 2653 patients and 3411 eyes underwent surgery: 3478 glaucoma surgeries, 2419 DS and 1059 trabeculectomies. Two cases of endophthalmitis and three of isolated blebitis developed. Median follow-up from the most recent surgery on the eye until the end of the study was 5.5 years, and until last visit at the ophthalmology department was 1.9 years. For the whole follow-up period in CIF-analysis, cumulative incidence for BAI was 0.16% (95% CI 0.06-0.36) at five years. Incidence was higher with eyes not treated with an antifibrotic during surgery (sub-hazard ratio 11.66, 95% CI 1.94-70.21, p = 0.007). Cumulative incidence between surgery and last visit with Kaplan-Meier analysis was 0.21% (95% CI 0.08-0.52) at five years, similarly, not using an antifibrotic increased incidence (Log-rank p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Cumulative incidence for BAI was low despite routine use of high-dose MMC.

Diabetes mellitus and risk of open-angle glaucoma-A population-based follow-up study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of diabetes mellitus (DM) and risk of open-angle glaucoma (OAG). METHODS: This population-based historic cohort consisted of individuals at age ≥ 40 years with DM treatment initiated 2001-2010 and a reference population matched by age, gender and hospital district. Incidence of OAG was compared between individuals with DM and their matched non-diabetic reference pairs. New glaucoma cases were identified from medication reimbursement certificates and hospital billing records. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were analysed with Poisson regression models adjusted for age, sex, hospital district, socioeconomic status, systemic medications and chronic diseases. We analysed the sensitivity of the results with adapted input variables and performed a competing events analysis. RESULTS: Of the 244 100 study subjects meeting inclusion criteria, 2721 (1.1%) developed OAG. Follow-up spanned from 2001 to 2017. DM was associated with a modestly reduced incidence of OAG when adjusted for confounding factors (IRR 0.92, CI 0.85-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: In our longitudinal population-based study, we found a modest decrease in the risk of OAG for individuals with DM.

Association of APOE Haplotypes With Common Age-Related Ocular Diseases in 412,171 Individuals.

Purpose: Apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4), a known risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, has controversially been associated with reduced risk of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Here, we sought to systematically quantify the associations of APOE haplotypes with age-related ocular diseases and to assess their scope and age-dependency. Methods: We included genetic and registry data from 412,171 Finnish individuals in the FinnGen study. Disease endpoints were defined using nationwide registries. APOE genotypes were directly genotyped using Illumina and Affymetrix arrays or imputed using a custom Finnish reference panel. We evaluated the disease associations of APOE genotypes containing ε2 (without ε4) and ε4 (without ε2) compared with the ε3ε3 genotype using logistic regressions stratified by age. Results: APOE ε4 enriched haplotypes were inversely associated with overall glaucoma (odds ratio [OR] = 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.92-0.99, P = 0.0047), and its subtypes POAG (OR = 0.95, P = 0.027), normal-tension glaucoma (OR = 0.87, P = 0.0058), and suspected glaucoma (OR = 0.95, P = 0.014). Individuals with the ε4 allele also had lower odds for AMD (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.76-0.84, P < 0.001), seen both in dry and neovascular subgroups. A slight negative association was also detected in senile cataract, but this was not reproducible in age-group analyses. Conclusions: Our results support prior evidence of the inverse association of APOE ε4 with glaucoma, but the association was weaker than for AMD. We could not show an association with exfoliation glaucoma, supporting the hypothesis that APOE may be involved in regulating retinal ganglion cell degeneration rather than intraocular pressure.

Price tag of glaucoma care is minor compared with the total direct and indirect costs of glaucoma: Results from nationwide survey and register data.

BACKGROUND: The estimations of the economic burden of glaucoma have focused on comparing different treatment modalities; hence, the total direct and indirect costs of glaucoma at population level are not well known. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the direct and indirect costs of glaucoma and its treatment in Finland. METHODS: Economic and glaucoma data were collected from the cross-sectional nationwide Health 2000 health examination survey linked to multiple national registers, which allowed a 13-year follow-up between 1999-2011 among survey participants. Direct costs covered eye- and non-eye-related hospitalizations and outpatient visits, outpatient health care services, and travel costs among participants aged 30 years or older, adjusted for age and sex. Indirect costs covered premature retirement and productivity losses among participants aged 30-64 years. Glaucoma patients (n = 192) were compared with non-glaucomatous population (n = 6,952). RESULTS: The annual additional total direct costs were EUR 2,660/glaucoma patient, EUR 1,769/glaucoma patient with medication, and EUR 3,979/operated glaucoma patient compared with persons without glaucoma. The respective additional total indirect costs were EUR 4,288, EUR 3,246, and EUR 12,902 per year. In total, the additional annual direct and indirect expenditures associated with glaucoma in Finland were EUR 202 million (0.86% of total expenditures of health care) and EUR 71 million (0.03% of the Finnish gross domestic product) arising mainly from non-eye-related hospitalizations and productivity losses, respectively. CONCLUSION: Glaucoma is associated with an increased health care consumption mainly due to non-eye-related health care, which can be explained by the vision loss as well as increased number of co-morbidities among glaucoma patients. Therefore, glaucoma constitutes a major economic burden for the health care system and society, highlighting the importance of early glaucoma interventions. The difference in direct and indirect costs between glaucoma treatment groups is explained by the uneven distribution of co-morbidities.

Analysis of glaucoma genes in Finnish patients with juvenile open-angle glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To identify germline variants in myocilin (MYOC) and other known monogenic glaucoma genes in Finnish patients with juvenile open-angle glaucoma (JOAG). METHODS: Finnish patients with JOAG treated between 2010 and 2018 at the Department of Ophthalmology, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland, were enrolled. We sequenced all exonic regions and flanking splice sites of MYOC for five patients and one healthy relative using Sanger sequencing. In 48 patients, we performed exome sequencing to identify variants also in 28 other glaucoma-related genes. RESULTS: Fifty-three individuals with JOAG from 50 pedigrees, and one healthy relative, participated. The mean age at diagnosis was 30.8 years [SD 7.6; range 11 to 39]. Five probands had probably pathogenic variants in MYOC: c.1102C>T p.(Gln368Ter), c.1109C>T p.(Pro370Leu), c.1130C>T p.(Thr377Met), c.1132G>A p.(Asp378Asn) and c.1456C>T p.(Leu486Phe). Four of these patients had a family history of dominantly inherited JOAG. The frequency of MYOC variants was 10% (5 of 50 families). One patient and his mother with JOAG had a novel loss-of-function variant in the FOXC1 gene, c.366G>A p.(Trp122Ter). A patient with sporadic JOAG had a homozygous likely pathogenic variant in the LTBP2 gene, c.3938G>A p.(Cys1313Tyr). The genetic variants explained 14% (7 out of 50 families; 95% CI, 6%-23%) of JOAG in our cohort. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of pathogenic variants in previously known glaucoma-associated genes is low in Finnish patients with JOAG. Because of the distinct genetic background of Finns, it might be possible to identify novel glaucoma genes through our JOAG series in the future.

Intravenous hypertonic saline to reduce intraocular pressure: the effect of splitting the bolus.

PURPOSE: To compare intraocular pressure (IOP) and pain after a single versus split bolus of intravenous hypertonic saline (IVHTS). METHODS: In a prospective, randomized, interventional trial, we enrolled patients with an IOP of 22-34 mmHg. Twenty patients in Group 1 received IVHTS as a single bolus of 1 mmol/kg 23.4% sodium chloride, and 13 patients in Group 2 received two boli of 0.5 mmol/kg separated by 10 min. They graded pain at the infusion site. We measured IOP, heart rate and blood pressure before and 10 and 20 min after IVHTS. RESULTS: Eighteen patients (90%) in Group 1 felt pain (median, 6.5; range, 0-10). In Group 2, 11 patients (85%) felt pain after the first bolus (median, 6.0; range, 0-8) and 12 (92%) after the second one (median, 8; range, 0-10). We found no difference in pain grade between the groups after their first bolus (p = 0.33) or between the first bolus of Group 1 and the second bolus of Group 2 (p = 0.47). The median IOP reduction in Group 1 was 6.5 mmHg (range, 2-16) at 10 min and 7.0 mmHg (range, 4-16) at 20 min (p < 0.001 for both). In Group 2, the corresponding reductions after the second bolus were 9.0 mmHg (range, 4-10; p = 0.002) and 8.0 mmHg (range, 6-11; p = 0.002). The IOP reduction at 10 and 20 min was comparable between groups (p = 0.094 and p = 0.41, respectively). CONCLUSION: Splitting the bolus did not reduce pain associated with IVHTS. Single bolus is consequently recommended.

Statin use and the reoperation rates in glaucoma filtration surgery - population-based cohort study.

PURPOSE: To examine the association of systemic statin therapy and reoperation rate after glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS). METHODS: This is a population-based, historic cohort study of 2705 eyes undergoing GFS in Finland between July 2009 and December 2016. GFSs were identified from national administrative healthcare registers. Baseline sociodemographic and health characteristics were documented. Reoperation rates of GFS subgroups were analysed, with statin users compared to non-users. The outcomes were modelled using a Poisson regression model adjusted for age, sex, education, statin use, chronic comorbidities, and cataract surgery with incident rate ratios (IRR) as the main outcome measure. RESULTS: The cohort contained 2263 subjects with open-angle glaucoma (OAG), 823 men and 1440 women. Surgery was performed on 2705 eyes. First documented procedures: deep sclerectomy (DS) (n = 1601), trabeculectomy (TRE) (799) and glaucoma drainage device (GDD) implantation (305) respectively. In total, 438 secondary operations were performed during the 7.5-year (median 2.25 years) follow-up period. The reoperation rates were 19% after DS, 12% after TRE, and 13% after GDD. Of the surgical procedures, 32% were performed on eyes of patients receiving statin therapy. Statin users showed no difference in reoperation rates (IRR 1.06, CI 0.82-1.37). In subgroups, no difference was observed in the reoperation rates adjusted with statin use after filtration surgery (DS, TRE) (IRR 1.06, CI 0.8-1.40) or GDD implantation (0.57, CI 0.20-1.63). CONCLUSION: Systemic statin therapy among surgically treated OAG patients had no impact on secondary surgery rates following DS, TRE or GDD implantation.

Risk of glaucoma after vitreoretinal surgery - Findings from a population-based cohort study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between different types of vitrectomy and risk of different types of glaucoma and to determine the effect of systemic medication and diabetes status on this risk. METHODS: A population-based nested case-control study included individuals of age ≥ 18 years who had undergone single vitrectomy, vitrectomy with retinal procedure, or combined phaco-vitrectomy between 2001 and 2010. End of follow-up was 2017. Odds ratio (OR) for the development of glaucoma after different types of vitrectomy and 95% confidence interval (CI) were based on conditional logistic regression models. For every glaucoma case, five controls were matched by age, sex, start of follow-up year, and hospital district. RESULTS: The cohort (n = 37 687), of which 52.8% was female, consisted of 6552 individuals diagnosed with glaucoma and 31 135 controls matched by age, sex, and hospital district. Vitrectomy was performed on 103 eyes in the glaucoma group and 158 eyes in the control group. As regards the risk of any glaucoma, the risk was lowest in eyes that underwent combined phaco-vitrectomy (OR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.8-4.1), followed by single vitrectomy (OR: 3.15, 95% CI: 2.1-4.8), and highest in eyes that underwent vitrectomy with retinal procedure (OR: 4.5, 95% CI: 2.7-7.4). Diabetes had no effect (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.92-1.01), but 5-year systemic statin use slightly decreased glaucoma risk (OR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.77-0.97). CONCLUSIONS: Vitreoretinal surgery was associated with an increased glaucoma risk; the risk being related to the complexity of vitrectomy. Long-term systemic statin therapy may decrease glaucoma risk, while diabetes had no association.

Prevalence of MYOC risk variants for glaucoma in different populations.

PURPOSE: To assess the clinical relevance of myocilin (MYOC) gene variants as risk factors for glaucoma in literature and to estimate their prevalence in different populations. METHODS: We reviewed the literature for published MYOC variants in glaucoma patients and estimated their prevalence in general population using gnomAD and BRAVO databases. We used several bioinformatics tools and the criteria of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) to assess the pathogenicity of the variants. We evaluated the carrier frequency of the variants in gnomAD, including its subpopulations. RESULTS: We found 13 missense and 5 loss-of-function (LOF) reported variants in MYOC that were both probable pathogenic or risk variants and listed in gnomAD. Six likely pathogenic missense variants were p.(Cys25Arg), p.(Gln48His), p.(Gly326Ser), p.(Thr353Ile), p.(Thr377Met) and p.(Gly399Val). They were most prevalent in East and South Asia (frequency, 0.92% and 0.81%, respectively). The most common missense variants were p.(Thr353Ile) (0.91% in East Asia) and p.(Gln48His) (0.79% in South Asia). Five LOF variants were p.(Arg46Ter), p.(Arg91Ter), p.(Arg272Ter), p.(Gln368Ter) and p.(Tyr453MetfsTer11). We considered these glaucoma risk variants. They were most prevalent in the East Asian and the Finnish population (0.93% and 0.33%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Pathogenic MYOC variants appear to be population-associated. Our results highlight allelic heterogeneity of MYOC variants in open-angle glaucoma. Many of the probable pathogenic variants are over-represented in some of the populations causing doubt of their status as monogenic disease-causing variants.

Altered temporal peripapillary retinal flow in patients with disc hemorrhages.

BACKGROUND: To investigate whether any peripapillary retinal blood flow changes are related to disc hemorrhage (DH). METHODS: The study included 21 eyes of 21 patients, of which 14 eyes had glaucoma. All eyes were examined at the time of detection of DH and again 6 months later. Blood flow in the peripapillary retina was measured by scanning laser Doppler flowmetry (Heidelberg Retina Flowmeter), with four adjacent images focused on the peripapillary nerve fiber layer obtained. Retinal perfusion was calculated in arbitrary units by automatic full-field perfusion image analysis. The mean of all four rectangles representing the whole temporal peripapillary retina plus the rectangle representing the area of DH served for analysis. RESULTS: The mean of measurements in all four areas revealed a statistically significant increase in mean flow (MF), systolic flow (SF), and diastolic flow (DF), and a decrease in pulsation index (PI). The rectangle representing the area of DH showed a significant increase in MF, but the SF increase was of borderline significance. Changes in DF and PI did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate reduced flow at the time of DH and increased flow after resorption.

Intraocular Pressure Peaks After Suprachoroidal Stent Implantation.

PRéCIS:: Retrospective analysis of 38 suprachoroidal glaucoma stent implantations showed sudden intraocular pressure (IOP) elevations to >30 mm Hg in 37% of eyes, 39% needing additional glaucoma surgery, and a success rate at 12 months of 24%. PURPOSE: To study the efficacy and safety of suprachoroidal stent in everyday clinical practice at a tertiary glaucoma center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective single-center consecutive case series involved patients treated at Helsinki University Hospital with the CyPass Micro-Stent. Preoperative IOP was ≥18 mm Hg. Success was IOP between 6 and 18 mm Hg and lowering of IOP at least 20% from baseline without an increase in glaucoma medications over baseline or use of oral acetazolamide, and no subsequent glaucoma surgery. RESULTS: Of the total 38 eyes of 33 patients, 17 had primary open-angle glaucoma, 16 had exfoliative glaucoma, 2 each had uveitic glaucoma or steroid-induced glaucoma, and 1 had pigmentary glaucoma. Median preoperative IOP was 25.8 [interquartile range (IQR), 9.7] mm Hg with a median of 3 (IQR, 2) glaucoma medications. Kaplan-Meier estimate of median survival time was 79 days (95% confidence interval, 37-121 d). Success rate at 12-month follow-up was 24%. Sudden IOP elevation to over 30 mm Hg occurred in 14 eyes (37%). Highest IOP was 68 mm Hg. IOP peaks occurred between 1 week and 8 months after the surgery. In total, 43% of those with IOP elevation to >30 mm Hg had no symptoms. After the CyPass implantation, 15 eyes (39%) needed additional glaucoma surgery within a median of 167 (IQR, 109) days. CONCLUSIONS: Suprachoroidal stenting in a heterogenous clinical population resulted in a high incidence of sudden IOP peaks with a low success rate.

Ab Interno Trabeculotomy: Key Prognostic Factors.

PRéCIS:: The preoperative factors associated with a decreased survival rate of ab interno trabeculotomy (AbIT) perfomed using a Trabectome in open-angle glaucoma were selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) performed previously and axial length (AL) over 23.82 mm. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to find preoperative factors that predict outcomes of AbIT by a Trabectome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective single-center cohort study involved consecutive patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and exfoliation glaucoma treated at Helsinki University Hospital with AbIT with preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) ≥18 mm Hg and follow-up of at least 1 year. Success was defined as lowering of their IOP by at least 20% from baseline or reduction in glaucoma medications without any rise in IOP above baseline, and no subsequent glaucoma surgery. RESULTS: Of the total 72 eyes of 67 patients, 51 eyes had exfoliation glaucoma and 21 had primary open-angle glaucoma. Mean preoperative IOP was 25.2±5.3 mm Hg, with a mean of 3.2±1.2 glaucoma medications. In the multivariable model, a history of preoperative SLT and higher preoperative AL had hazard ratios of 2.99 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.26-7.10] and 1.53 (95% CI: 1.12-2.09) with statistical significance (P=0.013 and 0.007). The statistically significant cutoff point was 23.82 mm in AL in relation to the success rate, with success times taken into account (P<0.001). AL over 23.82 mm had hazard ratio of 5.75 (95% CI: 2.57-12.87, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Previous SLT and AL over 23.82 mm reduce survival after AbIT.

Optic nerve head topography in nonglaucomatous, normotensive patients with unilateral exfoliation syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Optic nerve head damage may result from high intraocular pressure (IOP) associated with the exfoliation syndrome (EXS). At equal IOP levels, eyes with EXS may suffer damage more easily than eyes without EXS. Opinion differs as to whether EXS alone, without the contributory effect of a raised IOP, is a risk factor for optic nerve head damage. METHODS: 36 nonglaucomatous, normotensive patients (mean age 68.4 +/- 7.1 years) with unilateral EXS were examined for optic disc topography with confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph). The only patients included were those with an IOP difference of < or =3 mmHg between fellow eyes and with IOP fluctuation < or =5 mmHg in diurnal curves. RESULTS: Mean IOP was higher in the EXS than in the fellow non-EXS eyes (15.0 +/- 2.8 vs 14.1 +/- 2.7 mmHg, P < 0.001). According to the multivariate analysis of variance, no differences existed in the global parameters between EXS and non-EXS eyes (P = 0.778). Nor did differences appear in sectoral parameters between fellow eyes in the temporal (P = 0.634), temporal superior (P = 0.236), temporal inferior (P = 0.330), nasal (P = 0.711), nasal superior (P = 0.307), and nasal inferior (P = 0.434) sectors. CONCLUSION: EXS may not in itself be a risk factor for optic disc damage when IOP is not elevated from its base level, and when its variation is normal.

Blood flow in the peripapillary retina in exfoliation glaucoma.

PURPOSE: The aim of this article is to study peripapillary retinal blood flow in patients with progressive and stable exfoliation glaucoma (ExG). METHODS: Fifty-eight eyes with ExG were included; 25 of them had progressive and 33 stable glaucoma. Retinal blood flow in the peripapillary retina was measured with scanning laser Doppler flowmetry. Acquired flow maps were analysed with the automatic full-field perfusion image analyser. Multiple logistic regression was used to model progression of glaucoma. RESULTS: Mean retinal flow (MF; correlation coefficient, P-value; R = 0.36, P = 0.006) and retinal minimum diastolic flow (R = 0.33, P = 0.011) were positively correlated with visual field mean defect (MD). Factors associated with progressive glaucoma were mean intraocular pressure (OR = 1.198 for each mmHg; P = 0.050) and visual field MD (OR = 1.134 for each dB; P = 0.013). Age (P = 0.35), MF (P = 0.58), or presence of cardiovascular disease (P = 0.17) were not associated with glaucoma progression. CONCLUSION: No difference in peripapillary retinal blood flow between progressive and stable ExG could be found.

Intravenous Hypertonic Saline to Lower Intraocular Pressure in Ocular Hypertension and Primary Open-angle and Exfoliation Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article was to quantitate the effect of intravenous hypertonic saline (IVHTS) on elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) among 3 groups of glaucoma patients or suspects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among the forty-four patients with IOP 24 to 30 mm Hg included in this study, 13 had ocular hypertension (OHT), 14 primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and 17 exfoliation glaucoma (ExG). Participants received a bolus of 23.4% IVHTS (1.0 mmol/kg) through an antecubital vein. We measured IOP, heart rate, and blood pressure before the bolus, thereafter every minute for 10 minutes, and less frequently for 2 hours. RESULTS: The median baseline IOP was 24 mm Hg (range, 24 to 30 mm Hg), 26.5 mm Hg (range, 24 to 30 mm Hg), and 26 mm Hg (range, 24 to 30 mm Hg) in OHT, POAG, and ExG patients, respectively. Sixteen minutes after the bolus, IOP was a median of 9 mm Hg (range, 4 to 12 mm Hg), 10 mm Hg (range, 6 to 12 mm Hg), and 10 mm Hg (range, 4 to 14 mm Hg) lower in OHT, POAG, and ExG groups (P=0.70), respectively. After 1 hour, the median IOP reduction was similar between ExG (9 mm Hg; range, 4 to 14 mm Hg) and POAG patients (9.5 mm Hg; range, 6 to 12 mm Hg) but lower in OHT patients (6 mm Hg; range, 2 to 9 mm Hg; P=0.006). Heart rate decreased by a median of 7 beats/min. Blood pressure increased within 3 minutes (median, mm Hg; 15 systolic; 5 diastolic), but returned to baseline at 10 minutes. Within 1 to 3 minutes of treatment, 36 (82%) patients felt pain in the infusion arm, and 29 (66%) reported a feeling of warmth in their head. CONCLUSIONS: IVHTS reduced IOP effectively in all groups.

Long-term results of deep sclerectomy in normal-tension glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To study the long-term outcome of deep sclerectomy with and without mitomycin-C (MMC) in patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). METHODS: We prospectively analysed consecutive patients randomized to surgery performed either with (MMC group) or without (non-MMC) MMC. Surgery was considered totally successful if, after surgery, the preoperative intra-ocular pressure (IOP) level was reduced by 25% without medication, and a qualified success if medication was required to achieve the same limits. RESULTS: A total of 37 patients were enrolled, 15 in the MMC and 22 in the non-MMC group. The median (range) follow-up was 7.9 (1.0-9.0) years, with a drop-out of three (8%) patients. The preoperative IOP was 15 (11-21) mmHg in the MMC and 15 (10-19) mmHg in the non-MMC group. At the last 6- to 9-year follow-up, IOP was significantly reduced to 9 (2-13) mmHg (p = 0.002) and 10 (5-13) mmHg (p < 0.001). The overall (groups combined) complete and qualified success rates were 50% and 71%, with no significant difference between groups (p = 0.48 and p = 0.25). Goniopuncture was performed in 87% and 100% of eyes in the MMC and non-MMC groups (p = 0.14). Needling with MMC injection was performed 0 (0-1) times in the MMC group and 0.5 (0-4) times in the non-MMC group (p = 0.056). We encountered no cases of hyphema, shallow anterior chamber, hypotony maculopathy, choroidal effusion, late bleb leakage, blebitis, endophthalmitis or malignant glaucoma. CONCLUSION: In NTG, long-term significant IOP reduction can be achieved with deep sclerectomy with a low incidence of sight-threatening complications.

Changes in anterior ocular structures and macula following deep sclerectomy with collagen implant.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering with deep sclerectomy (DS) on visual acuity, macular structures, and anterior ocular dimensions during the early postoperative period. METHODS: We prospectively analyzed 35 eyes of 35 patients scheduled for DS. Our focus with the measurements was on early postoperative changes in anterior ocular and macular structures related to IOP lowering during the first month after DS. In addition to a clinical ophthalmologic examination, our measurements included corneal topography, measurement of ocular dimensions with optical biometry, and examination of macular structure with optical coherence tomography. These measurements were repeated 1, 2, and 4 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS: Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) decreased 1 week postoperatively to 0.22 (0.20) LogMAR (p = 0.006). The BCVA then increased to its preoperative level, 0.17 (0.18) (p = 0.28), after 4 weeks. Axial length decreased from 24.12 (1.81) mm to 24.04 (1.81) (p<0.001) 4 weeks postoperatively. The steeper meridian of corneal curvature and average corneal power increased postoperatively; central corneal thickness was decreased. No significant change appeared in other measurements. CONCLUSIONS: We found changes in corneal curvature and ocular dimensions after DS. These changes were relatively small and do not completely explain the decrease in visual acuity postoperatively. Macular structures showed no changes.