title: Digital ocular massage for hypertensive phase after Ahmed valve surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the role of ocular massage during the hypertensive phase after Ahmed valve surgery
  
  
  METHODS
  Nonrandomized prospective study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen patients with intraocular pressure (IOP) above target 1 to 8 weeks after Ahmed glaucoma drainage device surgery underwent digital ocular massage. The mean IOP 1 hour after massage was 4.3 mm Hg lower than before massage (18.8%, P=0.0008). We used a 20% reduction in IOP at 1-hour postmassage to differentiate responders from nonresponders and by this definition 50% responded to ocular massage. One patient (5.6%) responded well but was unable to perform massage at home. The remaining 8 patients (44.4%) performed regular digital massage and the 20% drop in IOP was maintained at the 2-week, 6-week, and 6-month review, although by 6 months 50% required glaucoma drops to achieve target IOP. There were no massage-associated complications in this series.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Digital ocular massage has a useful role to play in the management of the hypertensive phase after Ahmed glaucoma drainage device surgery. In this series 50% of patients achieved a 20% drop in IOP with massage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. smith.mic73@gmail.com
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Noa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Geffen
authors.forename: Tariq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alasbali
authors.forename: Yvonne M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Buys
authors.forename: Graham E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Trope
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular; D016896:Treatment Outcome