gms | German Medical Science

Long-term therapy with topical antiglaucoma medication is known as risk factor for failure of filtration surgery [Broadway et al. 1994]. In recent years prostaglandin analoga have gained importance as topical antiglaucoma therapy. Whether latanoprost has an influence on the outcome of filtration therapy is discussed controversial. Mietz et al. [2001, 2003] have shown that latanoprost in contrast to timolol may reduce the amount of extracellular matrix production and could have a positive influence on the outcome of filtration surgery.

We performed bilateral trabeculectomie on 16 patients between 1995-1997. In the six month interval the second eye was praeoperativley treated with latanoprost once daily. We analysed the outcome of trabeculectomie retrospectivly by evaluating the intraocular pressure (IOP) over the years since surgery. As success we rated an average IOP of 18 mmHg without local antiglaucoma therapy. An average IOP 18 mmHg with antiglaucoma medication was rated as qualified success.

Information about postoperativ medication and IOP values we gained from 13 of 16 individuals. The success / qualified success rate in the eyes praeopertively treated with lantanoprost was at 61,54% (8/13) / 84,62 % (12/13), respectivly in the control group at 69,23% (9/13) / 92,31% (12/13). One latanoprost treated eye had even with postoperative local antiglaucoma therapy an average IOP of 22,25 mmHg, one eye of the control group only reached an average IOP of lower than 18 mmHg after cyclophotocoagulation.

Although this study consists only of a relative small number of eyes, latanoprost applied before trabeculectomie does not seem to be a major risk factor for failure of filtration surgery.