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Glaucomatous eyes have higher rate of laser capsulotomy after phaco
NEW YORK — When compared with eyes without glaucoma, glaucomatous eyes have a statistically significant higher rate of laser capsulotomy, according to a study presented here.
“We looked at both glaucoma patients and non-glaucoma patients. There is a slightly higher rate of PCO formation in glaucomatous eyes regardless of whether they have a phaco alone vs. a phaco combination procedure with a MIGS procedure. However, glaucomatous eyes had a higher rate of YAG capsulotomy,” study co-author Cara E. Capitena Young, MD, told Healio.com/OSN at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting.
The retrospective chart review consisted of 3,277 eyes of 2,139 patients who underwent either uncomplicated phaco or phaco-MIGS. The rates of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) and the need for laser capsulotomy were then determined.
Regardless of which procedure was performed, 14.4% of glaucomatous eyes had PCO formation compared with 11.4% of healthy eyes, but the different was not statistically significant.
However, 6.5% of glaucomatous eyes underwent laser capsulotomy compared with 3.3% of non-glaucomatous eyes, which was a statistically significant difference (P = .0034), according to the study.
“Why this is, it is still under investigation, but we have several hypotheses that we’re looking into more,” Young said. – by Robert Linnehan
Reference:
SooHoo J, et al. Posterior capsulotomy opacification rates following phacoemulsification in glaucomatous and non-glaucomatous eyes. Presented at: American Glaucoma Society annual meeting; Feb. 28 to March 4, 2018; New York.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.