Contact transscleral Nd:YAG laser cyclophotocoagulation. Midterm results.
BACKGROUND
Early reports of both contact and noncontact transscleral Nd:YAG laser cyclophotocoagulation have been encouraging; however, recent evidence indicates a significant incidence of hypotony, visual loss, and phthisis with the noncontact technique with more than 6 months of follow-up. The authors sought to determine the intermediate term effects of contact transscleral Nd:YAG laser cyclophotocoagulation (CYC).


METHODS
The authors followed 116 eyes of 114 patients for a minimum of 1 year after treatment of advanced glaucoma with CYC.


RESULTS
The mean preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) of 35.0 +/- 1.0 mmHg decreased to 18.6 +/- 1.1 mmHg (P less than 0.0001) during the average follow-up of 19.0 +/- 0.6 months (range, 12 to 36 months). Intraocular pressure control of 3 to 25 mmHg was achieved in 72%, 3 to 22 mmHg in 65%, and 3 to 19 mmHg in 56% of eyes. Retreatment was required in 31 of the 116 eyes (27%). Intraocular pressure decreased to less than 3 mmHg in 9 eyes and to 0 mmHg in 6 of these 9 eyes. Nineteen eyes, all with initial visual acuity of counting fingers or worse, progressed to no light perception; 17 of 36 eyes (47%) with visual acuity of 20/200 or better lost 2 or more Snellen lines.


CONCLUSIONS
Midterm results of CYC continue to be encouraging but are tempered by a nearly 10% incidence of hypotony or phthisis and the progression of visual loss.
Schuman
J S
JS
New England Eye Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111.
Bellows
A R
AR
Shingleton
B J
BJ
Latina
M A
MA
Allingham
R R
RR
Belcher
C D
CD
Puliafito
C A
CA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001284:Atrophy / Q000209:etiology; D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000601:surgery*; D005123:Eye / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008028:Light Coagulation / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012590:Sclera; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000209:etiology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D014792:Visual Acuity