Glaucoma drainage devices are risk factor for graft failure

Glaucoma drainage devices are effective for controlling IOP in most eyes after penetrating keratoplasty, but corneal graft clarity is often compromised, according to a retrospective study.

Lenio S. Alvarenga and colleagues at the University of California reviewed all patients who had undergone PK at their facility. They identified 33 patients with 40 grafts who were treated with a glaucoma drainage device and followed for at least 6 months after PK. These patients were compared with 40 patients with grafts but without glaucoma and 17 patients with grafts and with medically controlled glaucoma.

In patients with drainage devices, 58.5% had clear grafts at 1 year and 25.8% had clear grafts at 2 years. The patients without glaucoma and with medically controlled glaucoma had higher graft survival rates at both time points, the researchers found.

The study is published in the August issue of American Journal of Ophthalmology.