Combined small incision phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy

A method of combined cataract extraction and trabeculectomy is described in which phacoemulsification is performed through a 3.5 mm incision with insertion of a foldable hydrogel lens. This procedure is suitable for most cases in which glaucoma and cataract are coincident. In an initial series of ten patients followed for nine months, all those without additional pathology achieved a corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better. The maximum induced astigmatism was 0.5 diopters (D), with no change or a reduction in astigmatism in seven patients (70%). Astigmatic shift between week 1 and three months was minimal (average = 0.075 D), with little change thereafter. Intraocular pressures were controlled (< or = 21 mm Hg) without adjunctive medication in all but one of the patients at nine months. This combined procedure preserves the principal advantages of small incision phacoemulsification: low induced astigmatism, early refractive stabilization, and rapid visual rehabilitation. In addition, reducing the extent of tissue dissection may reduce the stimulus to wound healing and early filtration failure.