Long-term comparison of postoperative refractive outcomes between phacotrabeculectomy and phacoemulsification

Abstract

To compare long-term postoperative refractive outcomes between phacotrabeculectomy and phacoemulsification, both with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation. Department of Ophthalmology, Konyang University, Kim's Eye Hospital, Myung-Gok Eye Research Institute, Seoul, South Korea. Retrospective comparative study. Postoperative refractive outcomes were compared between patients with cataract and coexisting primary or secondary open-angle glaucoma (OAG) who had phacotrabeculectomy (combined group) and patients with cataract with or without coexisting OAG who had phacoemulsification alone (phaco-only group). The refractive prediction error, mean absolute error, and median absolute error were compared between groups. Subgroup analysis based on preoperative axial length (AL) was performed (medium >22.0 to <24.5mm; medium-long ≥24.5 to <26.0mm; long ≥26.0mm). The combined group comprised 51 eyes and the phaco-only group, 74 eyes. The mean interval between surgery and refraction measurement was 14.70months±10.80 (SD) (median 13.0months) and 4.81±4.97months (median 2.0months), respectively. Postoperatively, there was no statistically significant between-group difference in the following mean values: refractive prediction error, -0.05±0.64 versus -0.04±0.52 (P=.905); mean absolute error, 0.46±0.44 versus 0.38±0.36 (P=.258); median absolute error, 0.32 (interquartile range [IQR], 0.17, 0.67) versus 0.28 (IQR, 0.13, 0.54) (P=.297). Subgroup analysis also did not show significant differences between the 2 groups (all P>.05). The long-term postoperative refractive outcomes ofphacotrabeculectomy and phacoemulsification alone were notsignificantly different in eyes with OAG, regardless of preoperative AL.