Paracentesis as an initial intervention in Malay Indonesian eyes with acute primary angle closure.

Background: Acute primary angle closure (APAC) is one of the causes of blindness in Department of Ophthalmology Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital. Management of APAC is still controversial. Laser peripheral iridotomy is difficult to be done due to corneal edema as a result of persistent high intraocular pressure (IOP). It is believe that paracentesis will lower IOP immediately. The objective of the study was to assess outcome of paracentesis as the initial management in Malay Indonesian eyes with APAC. Methods: This intervention study was conducted at the Eye Clinic of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital and Jakarta Eye Center commencing in January 2005 until December 2007. Malay Indonesian eyes with APAC were included in this study in accordance with the new Asia Pacific consensus. All APAC eyes underwent paracentesis to lower IOP. The presenting and post-paracentesis IOP and peripheral anterior synechiae were noted. The outcome was termed as good when IOP was ≤ 21 mmHg and poor when IOP was > 21 mmHg. Results: A total of 45 APAC eyes were recruited. Thirty-eight of these belonged to women; mean age was 54.6 ± 1.56 years. Meanwhile, average duration of symptoms was 13.15 ± 7.4 days and mean of extent of peripheral anterior synechiae (PAS) was 7.7 ± 3.1 hours. There was a strong correlation regarding duration of symptoms to the formation of PAS (r = 0.672; p < 0.001). The mean presenting IOP was 55 ± 13.37 mmHg and mean post-paracentesis IOP was 27 ± 12.78 mmHg. A decrease of 49% in IOP ( p < 0.001) was observed after paracentesis with good outcome in 19 eyes and poor outcome in 26 eyes. Conclusion: Paracentesis as an initial intervention in APAC eyes reduces the IOP immediately, but only as a temporary response.

The reduction of intraocular pressure after instillation of travoprost compared with timolol in chronic primary angle-closure glaucoma.

The objective of this study is to compare the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) after instillation of Travoprost compared with timolol in chronic primary angle-closure glaucoma. A prospective randomized, crossover study was conducted from April 2005 to July 2005 at Department of Ophthalmology, National Central General Hospital (RSCM) Jakarta on subjects with chronic primary angle-closure glaucoma. Subjects were randomly divided into 2 groups: those taking Travoprost once daily and those taking timolol twice daily. Two weeks after treatment with the first drug, the second drug was substituted. Intraocular pressure was recorded before therapy, at day 1, day 7, and day 14. There was a wash out period of three weeks prior to initial treatment and after the cross over. Sixteen subjects (32 eyes) met the inclusion criteria and were included in this study. The mean baseline IOP in the Travoprost group was 25.38 ± 3.01 mmHg, while in the timolol group it was 25.88 ± 2.55 mmHg (p=0.354). At day 7, the IOP were consecutively 16.75 + 1.92 mmHg and 21.25 + 3.09 mmHg (p=0.001) and at day 14 IOP were 13.94 + 2.02 mmHg and 19.25 + 2.18 mmHg (p=000). This showed that Travoprost decreased the IOP faster and greater than timolol. The mean baseline IOP was 25.38 ± 3.01 mmHg was decreased to 11.44 ± 1.90 mmHg with Travoprost. In the timolol group, the mean baseline IOP of 25.88 ± 2.55 mmHg was decreased to 6.63 ± 2.25 mmHg. Statistically, Travoprost significantly reduced the IOP faster and greater than timolol (p<0.05). Travoprost eye drops reduced the IOP faster and greater than timolol.