[Is the postoperative course following goniotrepanation modified by the age of the patient?]

The authors tried to establish whether the patient's age has any bearing on the postoperative course of goniotrepanation. A total of 150 eyes operated on, which had been regularly followed up for more than 10 years, were classified in three age groups, each comprising 50 eyes. The following parameters were evaluated: indication for the operation, behavior of the postoperative I.O.P., behaviour of the filtering bleb, behavior of the visual functions, and late complications. The comparative investigations produced the following findings: (1) The postoperative mean IOP value is independent of the patient's age; (2) visual functions were adversely affected to a significant degree postoperatively in older patients, and (3) a cystic configuration of the filtering bleb was significantly more common in older individuals. On the basis of these findings the authors recommend covered sclerectomy procedures, even in younger individuals suffering from chronic simple glaucoma, because the prognosis for the functions and the ultimate fate of the eye is reasonably good.