[Deep sclerectomy for the management of uveitic glaucoma]

To report middle-term results of deep sclerectomy in uveitis patients with glaucoma who are resistant to medical therapy.

Eight eyes of eight patients (mean age, 56.9 years; range, 46-67 years) with uveitic glaucoma resistant to medical therapy underwent deep sclerectomy without antimetabolites between 1994 and 2001. All patients had their uveitis controlled before and after surgery by anti-inflammatory therapy.

Mean follow-up was 42.2 months. Intraocular pressure was reduced from a mean preoperative value of 32.3 mmHg to a mean postoperative value of 15.2 (52.9% reduction). Success was obtained in seven eyes (87.5%). It was complete in four eyes (57.2%) and relative in three eyes (42.8%). Failure was noted in one eye (12.5%), controlled later by trabeculectomy. Antiglaucomatous medication was reduced from a mean of 2.9 medications preoperatively to 0.6 medications (79.3% reduction). Postoperative complications included one case of lens opacity and one case of hyphema.

The low rate of surgical complications and the lack of failure risk factors except inflammation and long-term use of antiglaucomatous medication may explain the high success rate of deep sclerectomy in this study.