[Comparison of trabeculectomy with and without releasable suture]

To compare the short and long-term efficacy and complications of releasable suture vs. conventional interrupted suture for scleral flap in trabeculectomy. In a prospective randomized clinical trial, 42 eyes of 42 consecutive patients requiring trabeculectomy for uncontrolled primary glaucoma underwent conventional trabeculectomy [group A] and trabeculectomy with releasable sutures [group B]; 21 eyes of 21 patients for each group. Short-term hypotony related complications and long-term intraocular pressure were measured and compared. The mean follow up was 11.7 +/- 6.5 months in group A and 9.4 +/- 6.4 months in group B. The mean 5 SD final intraocular pressure at the end of follow up period was 13.95 +/- 4 mrnHg in group A and 14.57 +/- 3 mmHg in group B [P= 0.58]. Mean reduction in intraocular pressure at the end of follow up was 54.5% in group A and 56% in group B. Final intraocular pressure was controlled [lOP

[Effects of trabeculectomy on cataract formation or progression]

To determine the effect of trabeculectomy [Tx] on cataract formation or progression in glaucoma patients. This controlled ciinical trial was performed on 82 eyes of 41 consecutive patients older than 50 years with glaucoma. Trabeculectomy was indicated only in one of their eyes and IOP in the other eye was controlled with medication. The operated eyes were considered as treatment and the fellow eyes were considered as control. The effect of Tx on lens opacity was evaluated with 2 criteria: decreased visual acuity [VA] and cataract formation or progression based on the LOCS III score on slit lamp photography. Overall, 53.7% of patients were male and 46.3% were female. Mean age was 62.5 +/- 9.3 years. Cataract progression in the treatment group was statistically significant when compared with their preoperative condition according to VA, and LOCS III photography [P<0.05] and scores [P=0.01]. Cataract progression in the treatment group was statistically significant compared the fellow eye according to LOCS III scores [P<0.05], but was not significant according to LOCS III photography [P=0.07]. Trabeculetctomy can induce cataract progression based on visual loss and LOCS III photography. Mean VA seems to be decreased, however not all lens opacities necessarily cause visual loss

[Posterior capsular opacification: hydrophilic acrylic versus PMMA intraocular lenses]

To compare the effect of implantation of a single-piece hydrophilic foldable acrylic intraocular lens [IOL] with rectangular optic edge and a single-piece polymethyl methacrylate [PMMA] IOL with rounded optic edges on posterior capsular opacification [PCO]. This randomized clinical trial study comprised 74 eyes with senile cataract in an otherwise normal eye in patients older than 50 years. Patients were randomized to receive hydrophilic foldable acrylic or PMMA IOLs. The operations were performed using standard phacoemulsification by the same surgeon. Patients were followed for at least 9 months. PC0 was graded according to slit lamp examination [retroillumination] and best corrected visual acuity [BCVA]. The PC0 values and BCVA at 6 and 9 months after surgery, capsulorrhexis diameter, and post- operative inflammation were compared between the two groups. From 74 patients enrolled in the study, 56 patients including 28 in each group, had complete follow up and examinations. Mean age was 67.64 +/- 7.71 years. Six months after surgery visually significant PCo occurred in 2 patients [7.1%] in the acrylic group and 7 patients [25%] in the PMMA group. [P=0.00l] At 9 months YAG capsulotomy was performed in one eye [3.6%] in the acrylic group and 3 eyes [10.7%] in the PMMA group.[P=0.61] There was no correlation between PC0 with age [P=O.13] or capsulorrhexis diameter [P= 0.8]. Hydrophilic acrylic IOLs cause less PC0 than PMMA IOLs. However, the results cannot attribute to the IOL material alone as they show the importance of both material and design

[Secondary epitheial iris cyst with pus-like precipitate: a rare presentation]

To report two cases of secondary epithelial iris cyst [SEIC] with pus-like precepitates in the cyst. Two young men with history of penetrating trauma to the eye and primary repair developed secondary epithelial iris cyst several years later. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy revealed a large cyst originating from the site of the laceration. The cyst was filled with pus-like precipitates inferiorly and clear fluid superiorly. Contents of the cyst were aspirated and the cysts were treated successfully by chemical cautery with 98% ethanol irrigation. Aspirated fluid culture and smear was negative and cytology revealed lymphocysts and epithelial cells. Pus-like precipitate within iris cyst is a rare presentation which seems to be sterile. Treatment with intracystic ethanol irrigation is successful in such cases