‘Wipe-out’ after subscleral trabeculectomy in advanced glaucoma patients

Abstract

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of trabeculectomy in advanced glaucoma patients in the Egyptian population, and to detect postoperative wipe-out syndrome in high-risk patients. Patients and methods Thirty-six eyes of 33 patients with advanced glaucoma were included in the study. All patients underwent subscleral trabeculectomy. The patients were followed up for 3 months during which intraocular pressure (IOP), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit lamp biomicroscopy, fundus examination, and perimetry were done. Results The mean age of the study group was 51.17±2.64 years. The study included 24 males and nine females. The mean preoperative BCVA was 0.36±0.33. the mean IOP was 31±8.75 mmHg and the mean number of medications was 3.08±0.1. In all cases, complete success was achieved except for two cases with qualified success. The BCVA at day 90 showed no change in 21 eyes, visual decline in three eyes and visual gain in 12 eyes. A negative linear correlation was noticed between the percent reduction in IOP and the reduction in BCVA in the first postoperative day (r=−0.239) which was not statistically significant (P=0.162). The color of the neuroretinal rim was not a significant determinant for the final BCVA (P=0.48). Visual field changes showed no statistically significant differences. Conclusion Wipe-out phenomenon is not an ultimate postoperative outcome for filtering surgery in patients with advanced glaucoma. Pale neuroretinal rim and postoperative hypotony are risk factors for postoperative visual deterioration.