Purpose: To report the initial clinical outcomes of combining glaucoma surgery with flanged intrascleral intraocular lens (F-SFIOL) fixation as a single stage procedure.
Methods: Retrospective, non-comparative case-series of eyes which underwent combined surgery for glaucoma with F-SFIOL and had at least 6-months of follow-up. A fellowship-trained senior glaucoma surgeon managed all the cases.
Results: Twelve-eyes of 10 glaucoma patients (8 males, 2 females) underwent F-SFIOL; only 8 of these eyes were combined with a glaucoma procedure. Mean age of patients was 55.1 ± 16.1 years (95%CI [44.4,73.2], median 61 years) and were followed-up for a mean of 21.0 ± 9.5 months, 95% CI [13.1,28.9], median 18 months. F-SFIOL was combined with trabeculectomy ± Mitomycin C in 4 eyes, Ahmed Glaucoma Valve in 3 eyes and needling of a pre-existing bleb in 1. Each eye had controlled intraocular pressure (IOP) at last follow-up (pre-procedure 29.1 ± 13.4 mmHg, 95% CI [17.9, 40.3], median 27 mmHg to 14.5 ± 3.2 mmHg, 95% CI [11.8, 17.1], median 13 mmHg, p = 0.006) and decreased need for number of anti-glaucoma medication (AGM) (pre-procedure 3.7 ± 1.1, 95% CI [2.8,4.6], median 4 to 0.7 ± 0.7, 95% CI [0.1,1.3] median 1, p < 0.001). In all the eyes, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was either stable or improved; only 1 eye had astigmatism worse than that pre-existing. In 1 eye IOL was explanted, with an additional procedure to control IOP. No serious long-term complications occurred in any subject.
Conclusion: The initial experience of single-stage F-SFIOL along with glaucoma surgery, both being performed by the same anterior-segment surgeon, is promising, thereby avoiding the cost, specialised skill, and potential complications of a posterior approach. Glaucoma surgery combined with and adapted to suture-less, flap-less, glue-less intra-scleral IOL fixation is hitherto unreported.
Keywords: Ahmed glaucoma valve; Flanged intra-scleral IOL fixation; aphakic glaucoma; dislocated crystalline lens; microspherophakia; needling; secondary angle closure; trabeculectomy.