Comparing the effectiveness of different postoperative counseling methods for post-keratoplasty patients.

PURPOSE: To compare various counseling methods for improving patient education, compliance, and administration of eye drops prescribed for post-optical keratoplasty patients and assess the most efficient counseling method. METHODS: A prospective, questionnaire-based pilot study was conducted among 60 post-optical keratoplasty patients who were randomly assigned into three groups for postoperative eye drop counseling, namely group 1 (video counseling), group 2 (chart counseling), and group 3 (verbal counseling at Cornea department). The questionnaire was answered by the patients/attendants applying the eye drops on the first 3 consecutive visits. McNemar-Bowker test was used to compare responses in each group and the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare responses among the three groups. The Institutional Ethics Committee of Aravind Eye Hospital, Tirunelveli (Registration number ECR 816/Inst/Tn/2016) approved this study. RESULTS: Results demonstrated improvement in various categories assessed regarding drop administration in all three groups, which assessed patients' knowledge, attitude, and hygiene. Although all three groups showed improvements during subsequent follow-up visits, the video-counseling method was found to be an effective means of communication. CONCLUSION: Our study emphasizes that the nonverbal and noncontact means of communication by video demonstration would be an effective way of counseling. It can be considered in the present scenario of the pandemic as well.

Aurolab aqueous drainage implant in the vitreous cavity: Our modifications over the conventional technique of glaucoma implant surgery.

Glaucoma drainage devices (GDDs) are used for managing refractory glaucoma due to failed trabeculectomy, neovascular glaucoma, traumatic glaucoma, and secondary glaucoma post keratoplasty. Aurolab aqueous drainage implant (AADI) is a nonvalved drainage implant conventionally implanted with the tube placed in the anterior chamber. Studies about the outcome of the various aqueous drainage devices implanted in the anterior chamber have reported complications such as tube extrusion, migration, blockage, erosion, and corneal decompensation. We propose modifying the conventional GDD implantation technique by placing the tube in the vitreous cavity, thereby negating the risk of anterior segment complications in patients with refractory glaucoma whose anterior segment is already compromised. Another novel approach implemented in this technique was making a scleral tunnel instead of using a scleral or corneal patch graft to cover the tube to prevent its migration. This article describes the surgical steps of this technique and its advantages, along with a surgical video.