Draining implant for neovascular glaucoma

We treated 12 eyes with advanced neovascular glaucoma with a modification of drainage implant surgery. All 12 eyes had rubeosis iridis and severe pain and nine had undergone previous glaucoma surgery. After follow-up periods of two to 24 months (mean, 11.3 months), nine of 12 eyes had intraocular pressures of less than 24 mm Hg (mean preoperative value, 49.5 +/- 8.2 mm Hg; mean postoperative value, 22.2 +/- 12.9 mm Hg). Surgery was unsuccessful in three eyes, in two because the anterior chamber remained flat postoperatively and in one because a large hyphema blocked the tube 15 months postoperatively. Our procedure, which uses a Y-shaped Teflon tube, is easy to perform, is well tolerated by the eye, and is associated with a low risk of serious complications.