Three-dimensional anterior segment optical coherence tomography of filtering blebs after trabeculectomy

To evaluate trabeculectomy blebs by using 3-dimensional anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT).

We prospectively examined 4 eyes of 4 patients who developed filtering blebs after trabeculectomy. A 1310-nm high-speed OCT prototype was used to image the 3-dimensional structure of the filtering blebs.

The 3-dimensional structure of the filtering blebs was clearly observed in the OCT images. Three types of filtering blebs were observed: diffuse blebs in 2 eyes, an encapsulated bleb in 1 eye, and a nonfunctioning cystic bleb in 1 eye. The volume of each bleb was 9.97, 1.10, 0.76, and 0.88 mm3, respectively. En-face OCT images clearly showed the aqueous outflow channels at the margins of the scleral flaps.

Three-dimensional OCT allows objective and noninvasive assessment of filtering blebs after trabeculectomy.