Combined trabeculectomy, intracapsular cataract extraction, and lens implantation: a clinical series

Twenty-two eyes from 17 patients underwent a combined surgical approach for cataracts and glaucoma, involving an intracapsular cataract extraction, trabeculectomy, and anterior chamber intraocular lens implantation with an average follow-up of one year. The surgical technique is described. The average intraocular pressure fell from 24.9 mm Hg to 16.7 mm Hg. Seventy-three percent of the patients required no medication postoperatively for control of their glaucoma. Ninety-six percent of the patients showed an improvement in visual acuity improvement. Complications of flat peripheral anterior chambers and hyphema formation did not affect post-operative pressures or visual acuity results. The results encourage further investigation of this procedure.