Purpose:
To establish the utility of Baerveldt glaucoma implant (BGI) in uveitic glaucoma (UG) by comparing intraocular pressure (IOP) control with open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients.
Methods:
A retrospective, case controlled study of ten eyes with UG and ten eyes with POAG that received BGI between 1998 and 2007. Demographics, IOP control, number of medications needed, complication and failure rates were compared using SPSS statistical software.
Results:
Mean follow up: 34.2 months. There was no demographic difference in sex or duration of glaucoma between the two groups but the POAG group was significantly older (72.2 vs. 48.8 p=0.0007). The UG group had lower IOP than the POAG group at 2 months (16.4 vs. 23.4; p=0.04). After 2 months IOP was equivalent in the two groups. The UG group required fewer medications for control at 2, 6 and 12 months (1.3 vs. 3.7; p=0.0001, 1.3 vs. 2.6; p=0.01 and 1.2 vs. 3.1; p=0.006) than POAG group. After one year the two groups were equivalent. There was no statistically significant difference in BCVA at any time point. Failure rates and episodes of hypotony were statistically equivalent in UG and POAG (1 vs. 4; p=0.303; for both data points).
Conclusions:
BGIs achieved equivalent IOP control in UG and POAG while requiring fewer medications during the first year and exhibiting a trend towards lower incidence of treatment failure and hypotony. In our study Baerveldt glaucoma implants had similar efficacy in controlling IOP in uveitic and open angle glaucoma.
Keywords: intraocular pressure • uveitis-clinical/animal model