[Improvement in glaucomatous visual field thresholds after reduction of intraocular pressure: clinical vs. surgical treatment]

To verify the influence of modality of treatment in regions of the glaucomatous visual field after reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP).

Glaucoma patients that had undergone a reduction of IOP of at least 20% in a period of 2 months were retrospectively selected and divided into 2 groups: 1) after trabeculectomy; 2) after clinical treatment. Visual field global indices and thresholds (average, divided according to the severity based on the Pattern Deviation plot) were compared before and after IOP reduction.

Thirty-one eyes of 22 patients were selected (15 in group 1, and 16 in group 2). Both groups showed good ability regarding improvement of different regions of the visual field after IOP reduction. Only the percentage of reduction of IOP (52.3+/-18.9% and 37.8+/-15.2% for groups 1 and 2, respectively, p=0.02) and the percentage of improvement in the points damaged at p<0.5% (186.0+/-213.3% and 30.1+/-35.2% for groups 1 and 2, respectively, p=0.02) were different, but not statistically significant after alpha error correction between groups.

The reduction of IOP above 20% may be associated with improvement in regions of the glaucomatous visual field, regardless of treatment modality.