Phacoemulsification combined with micropulse cyclodiode laser in glaucoma patients: efficacy and safety

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of phacoemulsification combined with Micropulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (MP-TSCPC) in glaucoma patients.

This is a retrospective case-note review. The participants were adult patients with diagnoses of glaucoma and cataract who required a further reduction in IOP or a reduction in the number of glaucoma drops. All consecutive patients who underwent cataract surgery (CS) combined with MP-TSCPC laser between October 2018 and July 2019 were included in the study. The effect on visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP) and number of anti-glaucoma drops were evaluated at 6 and 12 months in addition to any complications that occurred during any time point of the study.

42 eyes were included in the study. Mean IOP was reduced from 19.5 ± 5.4 mmHg by 22.5% to 15.1 ± 4.6 at 6 months post-operatively and by 19.5% to 15 ± 6.6 mm Hg at 12 months (p < 0.001 at both time points). The number of anti-glaucoma medications also reduced significantly from 2.8 ± 1.3 to 1.6 ± 1.2 at 6 months and to 2.2 ± 1.3 at 12 months (p < 0.001 at both time points). The success rate was 56% at 6 months and 54% at 12 months. 54.7% of our patients who completed 12 months follow up had an improvement or unchanged vision at the last visits.

This is the first study evaluating the effect of cataract surgery combined with MP-TSCPC in glaucoma patients. We demonstrated that this led to a reduction in IOP and the number of anti-glaucoma medications at 6 and 12-month postoperatively. The majority of patients had either stable or better vision at 12 months follow-up.