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Catherine Jui-ling Liu, MD; Ching-Yu Cheng, MD, MPH; Chih-Wei Wu, MD; Ling-Ing Lau, MD; Joe C. Chou, MD; Wen-Ming Hsu, MD

Arch Ophthalmol. 2006;124:1390-1394.

Objectives  To investigate whether the presence of glaucomatous optic neuropathy affects the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) after phacoemulsification in postiridotomy eyes with primary narrow angles, and to evaluate the preoperative factors associated with postoperative IOP control in primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG).

Methods  Patients with PACG undergoing phacoemulsification were prospectively enrolled and received a complete ophthalmic examination. Diurnal IOP was measured 1 day before and 3 months after surgery. For comparison, patients with primary angle closure or angle closure suspect (PAC/S) undergoing phacoemulsification were also enrolled.

Results  Postoperative reduction of IOP was significant in the PACG group (n = 29; P = .001) and in the PAC/S group (n = 28; P<.001), with no significant difference between the groups. The number of glaucoma medications used decreased in both groups (both, P<.001). Multiple regression analysis for the PACG group showed that there was a positive correlation between postoperative IOP and preoperative factors of mean IOP (P = .001) and the anterior chamber depth (P = .03).

Conclusions  The reduction of IOP 3 months after phacoemulsification is significant and is similar in extent in postiridotomy eyes with and without glaucomatous optic neuropathy. A higher postoperative IOP in PACG is associated with a higher preoperative IOP and with a deeper preoperative anterior chamber depth.

Author Affiliations: Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital (Drs Liu, Cheng, Wu, Lau, Chou, and Hsu), Division of Ophthalmology, National Yang Ming University School of Medicine (Drs Liu, Cheng, Wu, Lau, Chou, and Hsu), and Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University (Dr Lau), Taipei, Taiwan; and Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md (Dr Cheng).