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Glaucoma stent with cataract surgery reduces medication use at 1 year
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BOSTON — Combined glaucoma stent implantation and cataract surgery significantly reduced ocular hypotensive medication use after 1 year, according to a study presented at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting here.
 Thomas W. Samuelson |
Thomas W. Samuelson, MD, presented results of the U.S. investigational device exemption, multicenter, prospective, randomized trial comparing combined implantation of the iStent trabecular micro-bypass device (Glaukos) and cataract surgery with cataract surgery alone.
"Number of medications in the iStent group was less than half that in the cataract-alone group at 1 year, and twice as many patients in the cataract-alone group were on medications at 1 year," Dr. Samuelson said. "Type of medication used postoperatively was similar in both groups."
The study included 240 eyes with cataracts and moderate to mild glaucoma with an IOP of 24 mm Hg or less. Medications were added postoperatively when IOP surpassed 21 mm Hg.
Study data showed that at 1 year, 35% of patients in the cataract surgery-alone group and 15% of the patients in the combination group were on medication. The difference was statistically significant (P = .001).
Patients in the stent group had a longer time to medication or surgery than those in the cataract-alone group, Dr. Samuelson said.
More patients in the combination group met the efficacy endpoints: IOP of less than 21 mm Hg and an IOP reduction of more than 20% without medication, Dr. Samuelson said.
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