Prospective 3D Investigation of Bleb Wall after Trabeculectomy Using Anterior-Segment OCT

We used three-dimensional anterior-segment optical coherence tomography (3D AS-OCT) to evaluate time-dependent posttrabeculectomy changes in bleb wall volume and intensity.

This prospective observational study included patients with open-angle glaucoma who underwent fornix-based trabeculectomy between January 2012 and October 2012. Twenty-nine eyes met inclusion criteria, and the bleb walls of 22 were amenable to three-dimensional analysis by 3D AS-OCT for 1 year after surgery. The high-intensity volume ratio was calculated as the proportion of the high-intensity region in the total bleb wall. Changes in the high-intensity volume ratio were of high intensity, and parameters influencing the ratio were analyzed using 3D AS-OCT.

The mean high-intensity volume ratios (±SDs) were 43.5 ± 21.4, 44.1 ± 14.8, 41.5 ± 22.6, and 43.2 ± 19.7% at 0.5, 3, 6, and 12 months after trabeculectomy, respectively. When the volume ratios obtained 0.5 and 12 months posttrabeculectomy were compared, four and five eyes exhibited decreases and increases of over 20%, respectively. The volume ratios at 12 months correlated with the intraocular pressure (IOP) at that time (t = 2.44, P = 0.024) and the bleb wall vascularity score at 12 months (t = 5.44, P < 0.001).

The high-intensity bleb wall at 12 months posttrabeculectomy reflected the IOP and the bleb wall vascularity at that time.