title: Ahmed valve implantation for neovascular glaucoma after 23-gauge vitrectomy in eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report on the outcome of Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation for the management of neovascular glaucoma (NVG) after 23-gauge vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve medically uncontrolled NVG with earlier 23-gauge vitrectomy for PDR underwent AGV implantation. The control of intraocular pressure (IOP), preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity, the development of intraoperative and postoperative complications were evaluated during the follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean follow-up was 15.4±4.3 months (9-23 months). Mean preoperative IOP was 49.4±5.1mmHg and mean postoperative IOP at the last visit was 17.5±1.6mmHg. The control of IOP was achieved at the final follow-up visits in all patients, however, 8 of 12 patients still needed anti-glaucoma medication (mean number of medications, 0.8±0.7). The visual acuity improved in nine eyes, and the visual acuity unchanged in three eyes at the final follow-up visits. The complications that occurred were minor hyphema in three eyes, choroid detachment in two eyes, and the minor hyphema and choroid detachments were reabsorbed without any surgical intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AGV implantation is a safe and effective procedure that enables successful IOP control and vision preservation in the NVG patients with the history of earlier 23-gauge vitrectomy for PDR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 197 Ruijin No.2 Road, Shanghai 200025, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yi-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Zhong
keywords: 23-gauge vitrectomy; Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation; neovascular glaucoma; proliferative diabetic retinopathy