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Cyclophotocoagulation better for patients with severe eye burns
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AACHEN, Germany — Cyclophotocoagulation is preferred for treatment of intractable glaucoma after severe eye burns, according to a group of surgeons here. The laser treatment resulted in fewer severe complications than shunt surgery in a review of serious burn cases, the surgeons said.
Researchers reviewed the records of 14 grade 4 eye burns in 12 patients. Nine eyes were treated with an aqueous shunt device (either von Denffer or Ahmed implant). Diode laser cyclophotocoagulation was performed in five eyes. The mean interval between surgery and accident was 88.3 months for the aqueous shunt patients and 32.8 months for the cyclophotocoagulation patients.
Visual acuity deteriorated in five of the nine eyes treated with aqueous shunt devices and was unchanged or improved in all eyes treated with cyclophotocoagulation. Multiple re-operations were necessary after aqueous shunt implantation. Two eyes that underwent cyclophotocoagulation needed additional treatments.
Severe complications leading to failure in the aqueous shunt eyes included encapsulated bleb in four eyes, expulsive hemorrhage in one eye and phthisis in one eye. There were no severe complications associated with the cyclophotocoagulation eyes. Both procedures resulted in intraocular pressure reductions, according to the researchers.
The study is published in the December issue of Der Ophthalmologe.