COMBINED PROCEDURE FOR GLAUCOMA AND CATARACT - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

To ascertain the long-term effects of a triple procedure in the case o f coexisting cataract and glaucoma, we did a retrospective study of 93 eyes that had cataract extraction, IOL implantation, and trabeculecto my within a ten-year period. Mean follow-up was 32.4 +/- 21.9 months. Mean postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) was significantly lower than preoperatively, even though fewer medications were being used. On e year after surgery, 60% of eyes had a best corrected visual acuity o f 20/40 or better with an average improvement of 3.8 Snellen lines. Pa tients who had had surgery four or more years before the study had the highest percentage of eyes with an IOP exceeding 22 mm Hg. This group also had the poorest IOP control when no medications were used and wh en the patient took fewer medications than before surgery. The finding that IOP control decreases with postoperative time raises questions a bout the long-term success of the triple procedure in controlling IOP.