All analyses were based on eyes as the unit. The rate ratios (RRs) of glaucoma after surgery of pediatric cataract according to age at surgery and various characteristics were estimated by a Cox proportional hazards regression model (the Proc Phreg feature of SAS statistical software; SAS, Cary, NC). Time at risk (i.e., follow-up time) was defined for each eye as the time from surgery until glaucoma diagnosis, last measurement of IOP, emigration, or death, whichever came first. Time of glaucoma diagnosis was defined as the interval midpoint between time of last measurement “without glaucoma” and first “with glaucoma.” In two additional sensitivity analyses, time of glaucoma diagnosis was defined as time of last measurement “without glaucoma” and time of first measurement “with glaucoma,” respectively. Adjustment for age at surgery was performed by including age in the regression model with the following categories (in months): 0 to 1, 1 to <2, 2 to <3, 3 to <4, 4 to <5, 5 to <6, 6 to <9, 9 to <12, 12 to <15, 15 to <18, 18 to <21, 21 to <24, 24 to <36, 36 to <48, 48 to <60, 60 to <72, 72 to <84, and ≥84. Adjustment for correlation between eyes was obtained using robust standard errors,
30 resulting in slightly wider confidence intervals on estimated RRs. In the Cox proportional hazards model proportional hazards are assumed over time. That the hazards were proportional over time since surgery was supported by the fact that there were no effect modifications by time since surgery (see the Results section). Proportion of children without glaucoma at a given time after surgery was estimated by Kaplan-Meier estimates (Proc Liftest; SAS).