Long-term visual outcome of ocular hypotension after thermosclerostomy

Maximum intraocular pressure reduction is often the goal of glaucoma filtering procedures. To evaluate whether surgically induced ocular hypotension adversely affects visual acuity, we reviewed the visual outcome of 87 eyes of 67 patients who had undergone thermosclerostomy with follow-up of at least two years. Final visual acuity was compared in three groups on the basis of postoperative intraocular pressure level (< or = 10.0 mm Hg; > 10.0 mm Hg and < or = 21.0 mm Hg; and eyes that did not consistently fit solely in either group [mixed]). Average loss in visual acuity measured 1.8 +/- 3.0, 2.2 +/- 2.9, and 1.2 +/- 2.1 Snellen lines, respectively (P = .542). These data suggest that hypotensive eyes are not at greater risk for visual loss after glaucoma filtering procedures compared to normotensive eyes.