THE EFFECT OF MITOMYCIN-C ON POSTOPERATIVE CORNEAL ASTIGMATISM IN TRABECULECTOMY AND A TRIPLE PROCEDURE

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The authors attempted to determine the effec t of mitomycin-C (MMC) on postoperative corneal astigmatism in patient s who underwent trabeculectomy or a triple procedure (trabeculectomy, extracapsular cataract extraction, and intraocular lens implantation). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Using the vector analysis method, the authors m easured the postoperative induced astigmatism of 76 eyes in 59 patient s who underwent trabeculectomy or a triple procedure with or without t he application of MMC. Postoperative induced astigmatism corresponding to the 180 degrees axis was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The patients who underwent trabeculectomy with or without MMC showed a mean induced astigmatism of -1.01 D and -2.63 D, respectively, after 1 month (P < .05), and 0.34 D and -1.42 D after 12 months (P < .05). Those who underwent a triple procedure with or without MMC showed a me an induced astigmatism of -1.81 D and -4.50 D, respectively, after 7 d ays (P < .05), and 1.73 D and -0.13 D, respectively, after 12 months ( P < .05). The entire amount of postoperative against-the-rule astigmat ic shift was similar between the with-MMC group and the without-MMC gr oup. The against-the-rule astigmatic shift of the group without MMC re ached a plateau after 3 months. However; the group with MMC showed con tinuous against-the-rule astigmatic shift until 12 months. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that MMC induces less with-the-rule astigmatism i n early postoperative periods and continuous against-the-rule shift af ter 3 months following a trabeculectomy or a triple procedure.