The Change of Intraocular Pressure after Extracapsular Cataract Extraction in Patients with Angle-closure Glaucoma

ABSTRACT

We evaluated the effect of cataract extraction on the intraocular pressure(IOP)in patients with cataract and angle closure glaucoma. We divided the patients into two groups, one of which underwent trabeculectomy(group 1), and the other control(group 2). Also, we assessed the effect of peripheral anterior synechiolysis performed during the cataract extraction on IOP. There was a significant difference between the preoperative IOP of two groups, but no difference was noted until 6 months after the operation. However the difference became significant afterwards. IOP reduction was more significant after the synechiolysis in group 2, but no difference was found in group 1. It is thought that the IOP decrease can be achieved by cataract extraction only in chronic angle closure glaucoma. but the effect may not be maintained. Synechiolysis may be helpful to further decrease in IOP after cataract extraction only.