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Herein we describe 2 cases of persistent mydriasis after gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy for open angle glaucoma. Both surgeries were uneventful, but the patients experienced postoperative hyphema and intraocular pressure elevation. They then developed persistent fixed and dilated pupils resistant to pilocarpine that led to intolerable photosensitivity and glare. An iris cerclage pupilloplasty was performed with adequate relief of symptoms in one case., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Prcis: This retrospective study found a statistically significant reduction in mean intraocular pressure (IOP) and the number of medications after intracameral Bimatoprost sustained release (SR) injection in patients with glaucoma. A history of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) did not impact treatment outcomes., Purpose: To determine outcomes of Bimatoprost SR on IOP and the number of topical IOP-lowering medications in patients with glaucoma. A secondary objective was to determine the outcomes of Bimatoprost SR in patients with a prior history of SLT., Methods: Retrospective case series. One hundred eighteen eyes from 84 patients that received Bimatoprost SR by 6 glaucoma specialists at Wills Eye Hospital from March 2020 to September 2021 were examined. The intervention was a single injection of intracameral Bimatoprost SR. The main outcome measures included IOP and the number of medications., Results: The most recent mean follow-up time for all eyes was 27.8 ± 18.6 weeks. The mean posttreatment IOP at the most recent follow-up of 16.6 ± 5.3 mm Hg was significantly lower than the mean under-therapy pretreatment IOP of 18.5 ± 5.7 mm Hg for all eyes ( P < 0.01). The mean posttreatment number of medications at the most recent follow-up of 1.3 ± 1.3 decreased compared with the number of pretreatment medications of 2.1 ± 1.4 for all eyes ( P < 0.01). Analysis of multilevel models controlling for demographic variables demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in IOP and number of medications posttreatment ( P < 0.01). A prior history of SLT (n = 54) had no impact on treatment for both IOP and the number of medications ( P > 0.1 for both)., Conclusions: Intracameral Bimatoprost SR reduced IOP and decreased the number of medications. Prior history of SLT did not impact Bimatoprost SR treatment outcomes., Competing Interests: Disclosure: R.M.N.: Allergan/Abbvie. M.R.M.: Allergan, Glaukos, Bausch and Lomb, Alcon, Nicox, Santen, Qura. M.J.P.: New World Medical. N.N.K.: Abbvie/Allergan, Guardion Health Services Inc, Equinox, Nicox, Olleyes, Santen, Glaukos, Diopsys, Aerie, Regeneron, Alimera, Genetech. D.L.: Allergan, Glaukos, New World Medical, Ocular Therapeutix, Olleyes, Equinox, Mati, Nicox, Santen. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Prcis: This retrospective case series of patients with open angle glaucoma and prior trabeculectomy or tube shunt surgery found that selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) resulted in significant intraocular pressure (IOP) reductions in the intermediate follow-up period in select cases., Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the IOP-lowering effect and tolerability of SLT after prior trabeculectomy or tube shunt surgery., Materials and Methods: Open angle glaucoma patients at Wills Eye Hospital who previously underwent incisional glaucoma surgery and subsequently received SLT between 2013 and 2018 were included, along with an age-matched control group. Baseline characteristics, procedural data, and post-SLT data were recorded at 1, 3, 6, 12 months, and most recent visit. The primary success of SLT treatment was defined as IOP reduction of 20% or greater without the use of additional glaucoma medications compared to pre-SLT IOP. Secondary success was defined as IOP reduction ≥20% with the use of additional glaucoma medications compared to pre-SLT IOP., Results: There were 45 eyes in the study group and 45 eyes in the control group. In the study group, IOP decreased from a baseline of 19.5±4.7 mm Hg on 2.2±1.2 medications to 16.7±5.2 mm Hg ( P =0.002) on 2.2±1.1 glaucoma medications ( P =0.57). In the control group, IOP decreased from 19.5±4.2 mm Hg on 2.4±1.0 medications to 16.4±5.2 mm Hg ( P =0.003) on 2.1±1.3 medications ( P =0.36). There was no difference in IOP reduction or change in number of glaucoma medications after SLT at any postoperative visit between the 2 groups ( P ≥0.12 for all). Primary success rates at 12 months were 24.4% for the control group and 26.7% for the prior incisional glaucoma surgery group with no significant difference between the groups ( P =0.92). There were no persistent complications after SLT treatment in either group., Conclusion: SLT may effectively lower IOP in patients with open angle glaucoma who have had previous incisional glaucoma surgery and should be considered in select cases., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Prcis: In this retrospective study, the use of chronic antithrombotic therapy (ATT) did not increase the risk of hemorrhagic complications after trabecular bypass microstent surgery and phacoemulsification. Stent type and female sex were associated with hyphema., Purpose: To report the incidence of hemorrhagic complications after trabecular bypass microstent surgery and phacoemulsification with and without (ATT)., Methods: Retrospective case series on glaucoma patients on chronic ATT who underwent trabecular bypass microstent surgery (iStent, iStent inject, and Hydrus) combined with phacoemulsification between 2013 and 2019 with ≥3-month follow-up. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of hemorrhagic complications within a 3-month postoperative period. Generalized estimating equations were created to account for inter-eye correlation and logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors predictive of hemorrhagic complications., Results: Of 333 patients (435 eyes), 161 patients (211 eyes) were on ATT and 172 patients (224 eyes) were not on ATT; both groups were similar in age and baseline ocular characteristics. The only hemorrhagic complication was hyphema, which occurred in 84 (19.3%) eyes (41 ATT, 43 non-ATT eyes; P = 1.00). Onset was at postoperative day 1 in 98.8% of eyes, with a duration of 1 week in 73.8% of eyes, without difference between ATT and non-ATT groups. Hyphema was most common with Hydrus microstent (36.4%) versus iStent (19.9%) and iStent inject (8.5%) ( P = 0.003). In the multivariate model, the female sex was a predictor of hyphema [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.062; P = 0.009], iStent inject was protective against hyphema (HR = 0.379; P = 0.033), whereas Hydrus did not reach statistical significance (HR = 2.007; P = 0.081). Age, systemic comorbidities, ATT use, and baseline ocular characteristics were not significant predictors., Conclusions: Hemorrhagic complications after trabecular bypass microstent surgery were limited to transient hyphema and were not associated with chronic ATT use. Stent type and female sex were associated with hyphema., Competing Interests: Disclosure: DL: Consultant: Allergan, Inc. Research: Allergan, Inc. Speaker: Glaukos Corp. JSM: Consultant: AbbVie, Aerie, Avisi, Glaukos, Haag Streit, MicroOptx, Olleyes; Research: AbbVie, Aerie, Equinox, Glaukos, Diopsys, Haag Streit, Laboratories Thea, Nicox, Olleyes, Santen. NNK: Research: Allergan, Inc. MRM: Consultant: Alcon, Allergan, Bausch and Lomb, Glaukos, Aerie, and Qura; Speaker: Alcon, Allergan, Aerie, and Bausch and Lomb. AGS: Research: AbbVie, Inc. Consultant: AbbVie, Inc. American Glaucoma Society Mentoring for Advancement of Physician Scientists Grant. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Precis: Baerveldt glaucoma drainage device demonstrated a greater reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP) than Ahmed in patients with uveitic glaucoma. The most common cause of failure was uncontrolled IOP in Ahmed and hypotony in the Baerveldt group., Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of Ahmed and Baerveldt glaucoma drainage devices in uveitic glaucoma., Materials and Methods: The retrospective comparative study included patients with uveitic glaucoma who underwent Ahmed or Baerveldt glaucoma drainage device implantation with a minimum follow-up of 3 months. Success was defined as IOP ≥6 and ≤21 mm Hg and >20% reduction on 2 consecutive visits after the third month with (qualified success) or without (complete success) medications and no further glaucoma surgery or loss of vision. IOP, number of medications, visual acuity, complications, and interventions were compared between groups., Results: In total, 137 eyes of 122 patients (67 Ahmed, 70 Baerveldt) were included. The preoperative IOP and number of medications in the Ahmed group (32.7±10.3 mm Hg; 4.1±1.3) were similar to Baerveldt (32.1±10.2 mm Hg; 4.3±1.3; P=0.73, 0.35). These at the last follow-up were (18.1±9.8 mm Hg; 2.1±1) in Ahmed and (12.7±6.9 mm Hg; 1.3±1.3) in Baerveldt groups (P=0.04, 0.01). The Baerveldt had greater IOP reduction (60.3% vs. 44.5%) and complete success rate (30% vs. 9%) with higher complication rate (51.4% vs. 20.9%) (all P≤0.05). The de novo glaucoma reoperation rate was 19% in the Ahmed group and 4% in the Baerveldt group (P=0.006). Hypotony resulted in failure in 7 eyes (10%) in the Baerveldt group and none in the Ahmed group (P=0.013)., Conclusions: Higher complete success rate and significantly greater reduction in mean IOP and number of medications were observed in the Baerveldt group, but with a higher rate of complications including hypotony.

PRéCIS:: Intracameral injection of viscoelastic at the beginning of Ahmed FP7 implantation did not reduce early postoperative complication rates., Purpose: To evaluate early postoperative complication rates after a modified technique in which the anterior chamber (AC) is filled with viscoelastic at the beginning of Ahmed FP7 implantation before conjunctival peritomy., Subjects and Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of eyes that underwent Ahmed FP7 implantation with or without viscoelastic fill to ~20 mm Hg by finger tension by a single surgeon (M.R.M). Viscoelastic prevented the AC from becoming shallow at any time during surgery, and additional viscoelastic was injected into the AC at the end of surgery to achieve a final intraocular pressure (IOP) of 20 mm Hg., Results: A total of 159 eyes of 159 patients were included. Mean age was 76.4±10.4 years. Mean preoperative IOP was 30.3±9.7 mm Hg on 2.7±1.2 glaucoma medications. On postoperative day 1, there was an IOP spike ≥30 mm Hg in 0% of patients. Within the first postoperative month, hypotony (<5 mm Hg) occurred in 19 (21.8%) eyes that received viscoelastic fill compared with 5 (13.2%) eyes that did not receive viscoelastic fill (P=0.26). During the early postoperative period (≤3 mo), there was no difference in AC depth, microhyphema, choroidal effusion, or leakage between the 2 groups (P≥0.30 for all). There was a higher rate of layered hyphemas in the viscoelastic-fill group at postoperative week 1 (P=0.01). At 3-month follow-up, mean IOP was 14.9±5.5 mm Hg on 1.6±0.8 medications in the viscoelastic-fill group and 16.0±5.2 mm Hg on 1.0±1.2 medications in the nonviscoelastic-fill group (IOP P=0.35). Compared with baseline, change in IOP at 3 months was similar between both groups (P=0.15). Rates of additional medications and procedures did not differ between the 2 groups at any postoperative visit., Conclusions: Early intracameral injection of viscoelastic during Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation did not reduce early postoperative complication rates.

PRéCIS:: A modification to the surgical technique of Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation without plate sutures or surgical glue products has a similar safety and efficacy profile than the standard procedure, in the short and mid-term follow-up., Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of a modified AGV implantation technique without plate sutures., Methods: A retrospective case-control study including patients seen in the Glaucoma service of an academic institution. Patients that underwent a modified AGV implantation without plate sutures were included as cases and patients that underwent standard AGV implantation, as controls. Success was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction >20%, IOP >5 and <21 without the need for additional surgical intervention, and maintenance of light perception., Results: A total of 170 eyes were included. Mean (range) follow-up was 11.2±7.39 (3 to 24) months. There was no statistically significant difference in visual acuity and IOP between the groups during the postoperative period. In a univariate analysis, there was a larger decrease in IOP for the no plate suture group at the 6 months (-15.6±11.6 vs. -11.5±10.5, P=0.04) and 1 year (-16.4±10.4 vs. -11.1±10.4, P=0.02) visits. There was also a larger decrease in number of medications in the no plate suture group in the 3 months (-1.65±1.5 vs. -1.13±1.22, P=0.02), 6 months (-1.55±1.44 vs. -0.98±1.3, P=0.01) and 1 year (-1.70±1.5 vs. -1.04±1.2, P=0.04) visits. However, those differences were not confirmed by a multivariable model after adjusting for glaucoma type and number of previous glaucoma surgeries. No differences in the trajectory of the survival curves were noted between groups (P=0.36)., Conclusion: The comparison of short and mid-term outcomes of patients undergoing AGV implantation using both techniques showed similar outcomes and success rates.

PRéCIS:: This case series reports safe, effective implantation of XEN gel stents to treat iridocorneal endothelial (ICE) syndrome. The stents continue to function well and have not been occluded by membranes or peripheral anterior synechiae, but continued follow-up is necessary., Purpose: ICE syndrome-related glaucoma is often refractory to medical treatment, and traditional surgical treatment has lower success rates than typical for other types of glaucoma. We present a series of patients who were treated with XEN gel stent implantation., Patients and Methods: Retrospective case series of 4 patients with ICE syndrome who underwent XEN with subconjunctival mitomycin C injection., Results: Average preoperative intraocular pressure was 28.5 mm Hg on 3.8 glaucoma medications, and average postoperative intraocular pressure was 10.5 mm Hg on 1.0 medication. No patients required return to the operating room for additional procedures over an average of 6.9 months of follow-up. One patient had shallow anterior chamber that resolved with conservative management. Another had shallow anterior chamber that resolved with anterior chamber reformation with viscoelastic and developed nonappositional choroidal effusions that had resolved at most recent follow-up of 7 months after surgery. No XEN implants have been occluded by membrane formation or peripheral anterior synechiae., Conclusions: XEN is a safe and effective option for surgical management of ICE syndrome-related glaucoma. Further follow-up surveillance is necessary.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine how clinical measures, performance-based measures and subjective assessments of vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) are affected in patients with rapid glaucoma progression., Methods: Prospective longitudinal study that included 153 patients diagnosed with moderate glaucoma. A subset of patients that presented with rapid glaucoma progression (n=22), defined as visual field (VF) mean deviation (MD) loss >2.0 dB/y, were compared with patients with nonrapid progression (n=131). Groups were compared using t tests, χ, or Fisher exact test. Main outcome measures were visual acuity (VA), VF MD, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL), contrast sensitivity (CS), Compressed Assessment of Ability Related to Vision (CAARV), and Rasch calibrated National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) scores., Results: At baseline, patients who progressed rapidly had lower measurements of VA (P=0.041), VF MD (P<0.001), Pelli-Robson score (P=0.004), Spaeth/Richman Contrast Sensitivity (SPARCS) score (P=0.001), RNFL thickness (P=0.009), CAARV total score (P<0.001), and NEI-VFQ-25 composite score (P=0.03). A multivariable logistic regression was performed and showed VF MD to be the only baseline independent predictor of rapid progression. After 1 year, patients who progressed rapidly also had a significant decrease in SPARCS score (P=0.04)., Conclusions: Factors associated with rapid glaucoma progression included worse VF MD decreased scores of performance-based measures and subjectively worse VRQoL. After 1 year, rapid progressors had a significant reduction in contrast sensitivity as measured by SPARCS.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety profile of micropulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (MP-CPC) in patients with refractory glaucoma., Materials and Methods: Retrospective case series of 79 consecutive patients who underwent MP-CPC at the Wills Eye Hospital from March 23, 2014 to June 23, 2016 and who had at least 3 months of follow-up. Treatment success was defined as an intraocular pressure (IOP) of 6 to 21 mm Hg or a reduction of IOP by 20%. Failure was defined as an inability to meet the criteria for success, need for retreatment >3 times, or need for incisional glaucoma surgery., Results: Patients had a mean follow-up time of 7.8±4.5 months. The mean IOP before MP-CPC was 31.9±10.2 mm Hg. The IOP was reduced by an average of 51% at the last follow-up and the mean number of IOP lowering medications was reduced from 2.3 at baseline to 1.5 at last follow-up. Treatment success rates were 75% at 3 months, 66% at 6 months, and 67% at last follow-up. Complications of MP-CPC included 7 patients with hypotony (8.8%), 21 patients with prolonged anterior chamber inflammation (1+ cell or flare for >3 mo, 26%), 13 patients with loss of ≥2 lines of best-corrected visual acuity at 3 months (17%), 4 patients with macular edema (5%), 2 patients with corneal edema and 2 patients with phthisis., Conclusions: MP-CPC is an effective treatment for patients with refractory glaucoma. Shorter treatment times with more frequent repeat treatments, if necessary, should be considered given the incidence of significant vision loss in this study.

Purpose: Phacoemulsification has been cited as a possible cause of bleb failure in eyes with prior trabeculectomy. No method has been developed to directly evaluate the risk of bleb failure after phacoemulsification. We investigate the use of trypan blue during cataract surgery in the setting of a preexisting trabeculectomy to evaluate the functional status of the bleb and predict postoperative bleb function., Materials and Methods: In total, 14 patients contributing 1 eye each with a history of prior trabeculectomy with mitomycin C undergoing phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation were enrolled in this prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial. At the time of phacoemulsification, trypan blue was instilled into the anterior chamber before capsulorhexis creation. Staining of the bleb was grouped as being mild or diffuse using intraoperative photographs. These eyes were followed for 1 year postoperatively and evaluated for intraocular pressure (IOP) control., Results: The change in IOP was not significantly different between the 2 groups (P=0.14). A trend towards greater need for IOP-lowering medications was noted (P<0.10) in eyes with mild bleb staining. No statistically significant difference in rates of decreased bleb function was noted at 1-year follow-up after phacoemulsification., Conclusion: The intensity of bleb staining with trypan blue during phacoemulsification is not associated with changes in IOP postoperatively. A trend towards decreased need for IOP-lowering medications was noted in eyes with diffuse bleb staining at 1 year after cataract surgery.

Purpose: To assess the viability of a manufactured high-density polyethylene patch graft material (Su-Por) for prevention of tube shunt exposure., Materials and Methods: Retrospective review of the first 11 patients from the Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Service to receive the high-density polyethylene patch graft during tube shunt surgery., Results: Four patients (36.3%) experienced an extrusion of the Su-Por patch without a leak within 2.5 months of postoperative follow-up. All 4 patients developed either symptomatic or progressive extrusion. Operative repair was completed with Su-Por removal and replacement with a new human donor patch graft. No patient developed any sign of infection despite the extrusions. The remaining 7 patients had an uneventful postoperative course and continue to have no complications from the Su-Por patch with 9 months of follow-up., Conclusions: Given the high rate of extrusion of the Su-Por graft, this material seems to be an inadequate alternative for covering tube shunts. Harvested human tissue or other more flexible, manufactured grafts remain the standard of care for covering tube shunts.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy (GATT) in patients with open-angle glaucoma., Participants and Methods: A retrospective chart review of adult patients who underwent GATT due to inadequately controlled intraocular pressure (IOP) or intolerance to medication. Main outcome measures were success rate, IOP, and number of glaucoma medications. Success was defined as IOP reduction >20% from baseline or IOP between 5 to 21 mm Hg, and no need for further glaucoma surgery. When success criteria were not met for any postoperative visit >3 months after surgery, failure was determined., Results: In total, 66 patients, average age 62.9±14.9 years (50.8% female) were included in the analysis. Average follow-up was 11.9 months (range, 3 to 30 mo) and overall success rate was 63.0%. Mean IOP was 26.1±9.9 mm Hg preoperatively and 14.6±4.7 mm Hg at 12 months (44% IOP decrease; P<0.001). Mean number of medications decreased from 3.1±1.1 preoperatively to 1.2±0.9 at 12 months (P<0.001). No significant differences between patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and other types of glaucoma were found.The rate of hyphema at 1 week and 1 month postoperatively was 38% and 6%, respectively. Overall GATT success rate among white and black patients was 69% and 42%, respectively, which was statistically significant (P<0.05)., Conclusions: The future of GATT as a minimally invasive glaucoma surgery in adults seems promising. This position is supported by its low rate of long-term complications and the conjunctiva-sparing nature of the surgery.

Purpose: Glaucoma patients with markedly elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) are at risk for developing severe hypotony-related complications. The goal of this study was to compare the surgical outcomes of the Ahmed Glaucoma Valve (AGV) and the Baerveldt Glaucoma Implant (BGI) in this patient population., Methods: Patients with preoperative IOP≥30 mm Hg were included. Outcome measures were: (1) surgical failure (IOP>21 mm Hg or <30% reduction from baseline or IOP≤5 mm Hg on 2 consecutive follow-up visits after 3 mo, or additional glaucoma surgery, or loss of light perception) and (2) surgical complications., Results: A total of 75 patients were included: 37 in the AGV group and 38 in the BGI group. The mean±SD follow-up was 2.3±1.6 years for the AGV group and 2.4±1.7 years for the BGI group (P=0.643). Mean preoperative IOP was 38.7±6.5 mm Hg for the AGV group and 40.8±7.6 mm Hg for the BGI group. At the last follow-up, 10 (27.0%) patients failed in the AGV group compared with 6 (15.8%) patients in the BGI group (P=0.379). The BGI group had higher rate of flat or shallow anterior chamber (n=4, 10%) compared with the AGV group (n=0, 0%) (P=0.043)., Conclusions: Failure rates of AGV and BGI in patients with IOP≥30 mm Hg were comparable. There were more early hypotony-related complications in the BGI group; however, none were vision threatening. Both glaucoma drainage implants were effective in treating patients with uncontrolled glaucoma in an emergency setting.

Purpose: To evaluate the interest of glaucoma patients and their caregivers in a smartphone-based and tablet-based glaucoma application (App), developed by the Wills Eye Glaucoma Research Center in collaboration with Drexel University., Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional survey of patients with glaucoma and their caregivers. Main outcome measures are answers to survey questions regarding how receptive participants are to using the Glaucoma App., Results: Fifty subjects completed the survey. The mean age (SD) was 59.5 (±17.3) years. A total of 88.6% of the participants lived in a household with access to a smartphone or tablet. The majority (72.3%) of participants would consider downloading the Glaucoma App, and younger participants (<65 y) were more likely to do so compared with their older (≥65 y) counterparts, P=0.025. Participants were more likely to download the App if it was free of charge, compared with a version that costs $3, P=0.018. Although only about one third (37.8%) of participants used eye drop reminders, nearly 3 of 4 (72.9%) participants were receptive to using the automated reminder feature of the Glaucoma App., Conclusions: Glaucoma patients and their caregivers were very interested in using a Glaucoma App; however, many were not willing to spend $3 for an App they seem to value. The free Wills Eye Glaucoma App currently available on the Apple store, includes educational videos, eye drop and appointment reminders, medical and ocular data storage, visual field tutorial, and intraocular pressure tracker. These features aim to increase patients' level of knowledge about glaucoma and improve their adherence to medication and follow-up appointment recommendations.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of the new Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) model M4. The device consists of a porous polyethylene shell designed for improved tissue integration and reduced encapsulation of the plate for better intraocular pressure (IOP) control., Methods: Medical records of patients with an AGV M4 implantation between December 1, 2012 and December 31, 2013 were reviewed. The main outcome measure was surgical failure, defined as either (1) IOP<5 mm Hg or >21 mm Hg and/or <20% reduction of IOP at last follow-up visit, (2) a reoperation for glaucoma, and/or (3) loss of light perception., Results: Seventy-five eyes of 73 patients were included. Postoperative IOP at all follow-up visits significantly decreased from a baseline IOP of 31.2 mm Hg (P<0.01). However, IOP increased significantly at 3 months (20.4 mm Hg), 6 months (19.3 mm Hg), and 12 months (20.3 mm Hg) compared with 1 month (13.8 mm Hg) postoperatively (P<0.05). At 6 months and 1 year, the cumulative probability of failure was 32% and 72%, respectively., Conclusions: The AGV M4 effectively reduced IOP in the first postoperative month, but IOP steadily increased thereafter. Consequently, failure rates were high after 1 year of follow-up.

Purpose: To describe the outcomes of eyes that have undergone a second glaucoma drainage implant (GDI) surgery., Methods: A retrospective review of eyes that underwent a second GDI surgery from 2006 to 2013 was conducted. Primary outcome measures included intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction and success rates. Secondary outcome measures included glaucoma medication use, visual acuity, and number of reoperations. Success was defined as 6 ≤ IOP ≤ 21 with at least 20% IOP reduction, and no increase in the number of glaucoma medications from baseline at 3 months of follow-up or more., Results: Sixty-five eyes (63 patients) had a mean follow-up of 22.4 ± 19.9 months. The most frequently placed second GDIs were an Ahmed FP7 (49%) or a Baerveldt 250 (26%) in the inferotemporal (46%) or inferonasal (35%) quadrant. At 3-year follow-up, IOP was reduced from 25.8 ± 7.7 to 17.4 ± 9.9 mm Hg (P = 0.004) and the number of glaucoma medications decreased from 3.6 ± 1.2 to 2.5 ± 1.4 (P = 0.01) compared with baseline. The median time to failure was 24.7 ± 5.8 months. There was no significant difference in failure rates for type of sequential GDI (P = 0.80) or plate location (P = 0.34). There was no significant difference in visual acuity between baseline and 3-year follow-up (P = 1.0). The most common postoperative complication was corneal edema (n = 9, 14%)., Conclusions: Most eyes undergoing a second GDI achieve adequate IOP control with fewer antiglaucoma medications. Failure rates were similar regardless of quadrant selection or GDI type.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare gonioscopy with Visante and Cirrus optical coherence tomography (OCT) for identifying angle structures and the presence of angle closure in patients with glaucoma. A secondary objective was to assess interrater agreement for gonioscopy grading among 3 independent examiners., Methods: Gonioscopy grading using Spaeth Classification and determination of angle-closure risk was performed on 1 randomly selected eye for 50 phakic patients. Images of the same eye using both Visante and Cirrus OCT were obtained in both light and dark conditions. Agreement of angle closure among 3 devices and interrater agreement for gonioscopy were determined using Cohen's κ (K) or Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W)., Results: Of the 50 patients, 60% were female, 64% were white, and the mean age was 62 years. Angle closure was detected in 18%, 16%, and 48% of quadrants with Visante, Cirrus, and gonioscopy, respectively. The scleral spur was identified in 56% and 50% of quadrants with Visante and Cirrus OCT, respectively. Visante and Cirrus OCT showed moderate agreement in detecting angle closure (K=0.42 light, K=0.53 dark) but slight-to-fair agreement with gonioscopy (Visante K=0.25, Cirrus K=0.15). Gonioscopy demonstrated substantial agreement in angle closure (K=0.65 to 0.68) and angle-closure risk assessment (W=0.83) among 3 examiners., Conclusions: Visante and Cirrus OCT imaging may have limited ability to identify angle closure because of difficulty identifying angle structures. Gonioscopy by well-trained clinicians had remarkably consistent agreement for identifying angle-closure risk.

Purpose: To identify risk factors for glaucoma drainage device (GDD) erosions., Patients and Methods: In a retrospective comparative case series, medical records of 1013 patients who underwent GDD surgery performed by 5 surgeons between 2006 and 2011 were reviewed. The outcome measures assessed included age, race, sex, contact lens wear, seasonal allergies, medical comorbidities, glaucoma diagnosis, preoperative oral and topical medications, type and number of preoperative surgeries and lasers, concomitant surgeries, tube type and position, patch graft material, and intraoperative use of Avastin, mitomycin-C, or Triescence. The association of variables with erosion status was evaluated using the Fisher exact test for categorical variables and the exact Wilcoxon rank-sum test for continuous variables., Results: Charts were included from 339 eyes that had complete data sets and at least 6 months of follow-up. Twenty-eight eyes (8.3%) developed conjunctival erosions. The median follow-up time was 2.03 years for the erosion group and 1.71 years for nonerosion group. Erosion was only associated with the presence of concomitant surgical procedures at the time of GDD implantation (35.7% erosion group vs. 17.4% nonerosion group, P=0.02, OR=2.64). The majority of concomitant surgeries were composed of pars plana vitrectomy (35.0%) and cataract surgery (32.0%). Variables that were suggestive of association with erosion (P<0.20) included smoking (OR=2.14), pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (OR=2.71), and history of dry eye syndrome (OR=2.22)., Conclusion: History of concomitant intraocular surgery with GDD implantation may be a potential risk factor for future erosions.

Purpose: To report the 6-month comparative outcomes and bleb morphology for needle revision with bevacizumab and mitomycin C (MMC) versus MMC alone of failed trabeculectomy and ExPRESS shunt blebs., Methods: Patients undergoing bleb needle revision procedures were enrolled in this study. All patients received a subconjunctival injection of 0.1 mL MMC (0.4 mg/mL) mixed with 0.1 mL preservative-free lidocaine (1%) at the beginning of the procedure. The patients were randomized into 2 cohorts assigned to receive either 1.0 mg (0.04 mL of 25 mg/mL) subconjunctival bevacizumab (treatment group) or 0.04 mL of balanced salt solution (control group) injected in an identical manner posterior to the bleb after the bleb needling. Success was defined as ≥20% reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP) without any IOP-lowering medications. Qualified success was defined as ≥20% reduction of IOP with IOP-lowering medications. Failure was defined as IOP>21 mm Hg, IOP reduction <20%, or need for additional surgery. Bleb morphology was classified using the Indiana Bleb Appearance Grading Scale., Results: Six months postoperatively, in treatment group (n=29), 57% of patients achieved complete success, and 43% failed. In control group (n=29), 41% of patients achieved complete success, 7% achieved qualified success, and 52% failed. The difference in success rates between the 2 groups was not statistically significant (P=0.35). At 6 months, the mean IOP was 11.52 in treatment group and 12.83 in control group (P=0.45); patients in treatment group were on a mean of 0.16 medications as compared with 0.58 medications in control group (P=0.058). For bleb morphology of treatment group compared with control group, the blebs had less vascularity (0.76 vs. 1.20, respectively, on a scale of 0 to 4, P<0.05) and greater extent (2.68 vs. 2.36, on a scale of 0 to 3, P=0.022) in treatment group., Conclusions: There was no significant difference between the success rates and IOPs at postoperative month 6 between treatment and control groups. Postoperative blebs in the treatment group were less vascular and had greater extent.

Purpose: To report a series of cases involving Ahmed Glaucoma Valve M4 (AGV) explantation and to discuss the surgical technique to remove the drainage device., Methods: Four cases were identified that presented with AGV M4 postoperative complications necessitating tube shunt removal. Three patients presented with conjunctival erosion and 1 patient with persistent diplopia. AGV M4 implants were removed successfully between 1.5 and 9 months after implantation., Results: Successful explantation of the AGV M4 novel implant was achieved in all cases without intraoperative or postoperative complications., Conclusions: If necessary, AGV M4 explantation can be successfully performed in the early postoperative period.

Purpose: To describe a modified suturing technique for the treatment of hypotony., Methods: A prospective case series of 15 patients with hypotony from an overfiltering trabeculectomy underwent full-thickness hypotony sutures. The technique involves placing several radial interrupted 10-0 nylon sutures in the area of the prior trabeculectomy. The suture pass starts at the limbus, travels through the conjunctiva, and full-thickness sclera before exiting the conjunctiva. The sutures were selectively removed postoperatively to titrate the intraocular pressure (IOP). Hypotony resolution, IOP, visual acuity, and complications were assessed on postoperative visits., Results: Before surgery, the mean IOP was 3.3 mm Hg. The mean IOP 1 day after surgery was 23.5 mm Hg, which settled to 12.9 mm Hg 3 months after surgery. Hypotony was reversed in 100% of patients and 87% achieved a goal IOP. Suture removal was performed in 73%, most within the first week after surgery., Conclusions: Placing full-thickness hypotony sutures is an effective way to treat ocular hypotony. Sutures can be removed postoperatively to titrate the IOP.

Purpose: To compare the incidence of conjuctival erosions with single thickness versus double thickness allograft processed pericardium used in mitomycin-C (MMC) augmented glaucoma drainage device (GDD) sugery., Patients and Methods: In a retrospective comparative case series, medical records of 84 consecutive glaucoma patients who underwent GDD surgery between July 1996 to December 2004 were reviewed. All surgeries were done by one glaucoma surgeon (M.R.M.). MMC was adminstered in all cases over the plate area and either single thickness processed pericardium patch graft (STPP) or double thickness processed pericardium patch graft (DTPP) was used to cover the external silicone tube of the glaucoma device at the limbus. The principal outcome measure was the incidence of conjunctival erosions associated with GDD surgery., Results: Eighty-four patients (90 eyes) who met the eligibility criteria were enrolled in the study. Thirty-one consecutive eyes received a STPP, and 59 consecutive eyes received a DTPP. Five eyes (16.0%) in the STPP group developed conjunctival erosion. None of the eyes in DTPP group developed conjunctival erosion. The Mann-Whitney U test difference in the rate of conjunctival erosion was statistically significant between 2 groups (P=0.002). For the STPP group, the average time to conjunctival erosion was 9 months (range, 4 to 14 mo). All erosions were surgically corrected using DTPP and followed up for a mean of 8.6 months after repair with no additional conjunctival erosions., Conclusions: DTPP placed over the silicone tube significantly reduced the incidence of conjunctival erosion after MMC augmented GDD surgery.

Purpose: To determine the intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering effect of a fixed timolol/dorzolamide combination (Cosopt) for patients with IOP over 30 mm Hg., Study Design: Prospective interventional case series., Methods: Eighteen patients being seen on the Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Service with at least one eye with an IOP > 30 mm Hg were recruited. None had used any glaucoma medications for at least 1 month. IOP was confirmed by diurnal testing. Cosopt was administered at 9 am and 9 pm. Trough IOP measurements were made at 9 am and peak IOP measurements at 11 am at baseline, 1 month, and 2 months. Pretreatment and posttreatment IOPs were compared using a paired-samples independent t test., Results: Mean pretreatment IOP was 37.5 +/- 1.0 mm Hg. Baseline posttreatment IOP was 18.4 +/- 0.5 mm Hg (P < 0.01). At 2 months, the mean trough IOP was 21.1 +/- 0.9 mm Hg and the peak, 17.6 +/- 0.6 mm Hg (each, P < 0.01, as compared with pretreatment baseline IOP). One patient did not respond to Cosopt; two had a clinically insufficient response and did not complete the study. Data from these patients were included in the analysis., Conclusions: Over 80% of the eyes responded to Cosopt, with an average trough IOP reduction of 40% at 2 months.

Purpose: To evaluate the agreement of intraocular pressure (IOP) readings obtained with the Proview phosphene tonometer and those obtained by Goldmann applanation tonometry as well as the effect of regular use of the Proview on patients' anxiety about their glaucoma., Methods: One hundred thirty-five consecutive patients with glaucoma, 35 designated as controls, were enrolled in a 10-month randomized prospective clinical trial. The study patients but not the controls used the Proview outside the office. At office visits IOP was measured by an ophthalmologist with the Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) as well as by examiners and patients using the Proview. Patients in the treatment group (n = 100) were asked to measure and record their IOP at home as well. Using ANOVA, we examined the relationship between demographic variables and the level of agreement between the Proview readings and those measured by GAT at the final office visit. All participants also were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their anxiety about their IOP at the baseline and final office visits. The primary outcome measure was the level of agreement of the Proview measurements with those obtained by GAT. Secondary outcome measures included patients' anxiety about their glaucoma., Results: The absolute mean difference between GAT and Proview readings at the final visit was 3.5 +/- 2.9 mm Hg (median, 2.8 mm Hg). The treatment group reported significantly less anxiety about their glaucoma after 4 to 6 weeks of using the Proview (P = .024)., Conclusions: There was considerable discrepancy between Proview and GAT readings. However, regular use of the Proview tonometer significantly reduced patients' anxiety about their glaucoma.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of bleb needle revision with high-dose mitomycin C in reviving failed filtering blebs after 1 year., Patients and Methods: We reviewed the charts of 44 patients with one eye that had undergone bleb needle revision with a mixture of 0.1 mL of mitomycin (0.4 mg/mL) mixed with 0.1 mL of non-preserved 1% lidocaine. At least 12 months of follow-up were required. A successful bleb needle revision was defined as one that did not require a subsequent needling, glaucoma surgery, or medication to reach an intraocular pressure (IOP) greater than 4 mm Hg but less than 22 mm Hg. A qualified success was defined as a successful bleb needle revision that required subsequent needling or medication., Results: The bleb needle revision with high-dose mitomycin was a success or qualified success after 12 months in 28 patients or 64% (95% confidence interval, 50% to 78%). The baseline IOP in these patients was 26.7 +/- 8.2 mm Hg (range 15 to 48 mm Hg) using an average of 1.5 +/- 1.5 glaucoma medications. The IOP after 1 year was 13.6 +/- 4.0 (range 6 to 21 mm Hg) with an average of 0.5 +/- 0.8 medications. Of 44 patients, 17 (39%) were successes and 11 (25%) were qualified successes., Conclusion: Bleb needle revision with high-dose MMC was effective in reducing the IOP in 64% of eyes with a failed filtering bleb with minimal long-term complications.

Purpose: The authors determined the effectiveness of two different methods of modification of Baerveldt aqueous shunts in the control of early postoperative intraocular pressure., Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed charts of 122 eyes of 113 patients who underwent a Baerveldt 350-mm(2) modified with tube fenestration and charts of 129 eyes of 122 patients who underwent a Baerveldt 350-mm(2) modified with a nonocclusive ligature to examine early postoperative intraocular pressure control. In the fenestration group, the tube was modified with a 4-0 intraluminal suture and an occlusive 6-0 external polyglactin ligature before ocular placement. After ocular placement, the tube was further modified with one to three perforating fenestrations. In the nonocclusive-ligature group, the tube was modified with a 4-0 nylon intraluminal suture with a nonocclusive 6-0 external polyglactin ligature before ocular placement., Results: A total of 94 eyes (77%) achieved adequate intraocular pressure control with or without adjunctive medications and. A total of 28 eyes (23%) had postoperative hypertension or hypotony in the fenestration group versus 81 (62.8%) and 48 (37.2%) eyes in the nonocclusive-ligature group (P = 0.014), respectively. The mean change in intraocular pressure preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively was 18.2 mm Hg versus 21.0 mm Hg (P = 0.11) in the fenestration and nonocclusive-ligature groups, respectively., Conclusions: Both the nonocclusive ligature and the fenestration methods provide desirable decreases in intraocular pressure in the immediate postoperative period and 3 months postoperatively; however, the fenestration modification may achieve adequate intraocular pressure control more often in the early postoperative period.

Purpose: To determine whether digital ocular compression is a viable technique to lower intraocular pressure in patients at least 3 months after trabeculectomy., Patients and Methods: A 6-month prospective, randomized, controlled, single-masked trial of 29 patients who underwent a trabeculectomy at the Glaucoma Service of Wills Eye Hospital. Patients were assigned to two groups: ocular compression or cheekbone compression (control group). The ocular compression group performed compression to the operated eye three times a day in the pattern of 10 seconds of pressure, 5 seconds of rest, and 10 seconds of pressure. Pressure was applied with the index finger through the closed lid to the center of the cornea. Pressure was steady and firm, but not painful. No massaging was performed. The cheekbone compression group applied pressure to the zygomatic arch with an identical style and frequency., Results: At 6 months, the change in mean intraocular pressure for the ocular compression group was 0.25 mm Hg compared with -0.44 mm Hg for the control group (P = 0.7). A few patients in both groups experienced large swings in intraocular pressure and mild to moderate discomfort., Conclusion: Ocular compression had little to no success in the long-term management of increased intraocular pressure in the late postoperative period in this study.

Purpose: A patient with traumatic glaucoma who underwent transpupillary argon laser cyclophotocoagulation for management of uncontrolled intraocular pressure (IOP) despite maximally tolerated medical therapy is discussed., Methods: In this patient, pars plana vitrectomy, lensectomy, and removal of 180 degrees of necrotic iris had been performed after a blunt trauma with a bungee cord. Six weeks after surgery, the patient presented with an IOP of 40 mmHg despite therapy with three aqueous suppressants. The patient refused further surgical intervention and opted for transpupillary argon laser cyclophotocoagulation (TALC). The laser setting was 1,000 mW, with a 50-micron spot size for 0.1 second. A total of 293 laser exposures through a Goldmann contact lens was administered to all visible ciliary processes over 180 degrees where iris structures were absent., Results: Ten weeks after TALC, the patient's IOP remained controlled with medications at 16 mmHg, and visual acuity had improved to 20/25 with an aphakic contact lens., Conclusion: In selected patients whose ciliary processes are visible with indirect gonioscopy due to the defect in the iris, TALC may be an effective alternative cyclodestructive procedure to lower IOP when conventional medical or laser treatments are not successful.

Purpose: The authors explore an alternative method of performing laser peripheral iridectomy (LPI) in patients with pigment dispersion syndrome and pigmentary glaucoma (PDS/PG) who are high myopes and therefore at increased risk of developing retinal detachment., Methods: Four myopic patients with PDS/PG had LPI performed in one eye. A transilluminator was held up to the opposite eye to provide pupillary constriction via the consensual light reflex. No miotics were used., Results: All LPIs were easily performed without complications., Conclusion: The authors present an alternative method to the standard use of pilocarpine for LPI theoretically to decrease further the incidence of retinal detachment in populations predisposed to it.

Purpose: This pilot study used color Doppler imaging to investigate the effects of nifedipine on the posterior ocular blood flow of patients with glaucoma progression at normal intraocular pressures., Patients and Methods: Eighteen patients, 11 men and seven women with a median age of 61.7 years, were imaged before and 6 weeks after the initiation of 30 mg of sustained-release nifedipine (Procardia XL; produced by either Pfizer or Pratt) daily., Results: There was no statistically significant change in the blood velocity of the ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery, and main nasal and temporal short posterior ciliary arteries after treatment with nifedipine., Conclusion: The routine use of nifedipine in patients with normal tension glaucoma progression is not supported by this study.

To evaluate the color Doppler imaging (CDI) parameters of the retrobulbar circulation, we performed color Doppler imaging in both eyes of 29 glaucomatous patients with asymmetric cups [asymmetry >0.3 cup/disc ratio (C/D)] and asymmetric visual field loss. We used the QAD-1 Color Doppler unit (Quantum Medical Systems Inc.) with a 7.5-MHz linear-phased transducer to calculate the pulsatility index, and the peak systolic, end diastolic, and average blood-flow velocities in the ophthalmic, central retinal, nasal, and temporal short posterior ciliary arteries of each eye. In a second analysis, we compared the results of a randomly selected eye of age- and sex-matched controls. Paired t tests did not show any significant difference between the blood-flow velocities of the more damaged and less damaged eyes when the entire 29-patient group was considered together. The power was adequate to detect a 1.0 cm/s difference in most of the analyzed vessels. Thirteen of the 29 patients had primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and the remaining eyes had pseudoexfoliation and low tension, pigmentary, and chronic angle-closure glaucoma. When compared to age- and sex-matched controls, the less damaged eyes of patients with POAG displayed reduced systolic, diastolic, and mean velocities (p < 0.05) in the ophthalmic artery. In comparison, the more damaged eyes revealed statistically reduced velocities in the ophthalmic artery, temporal short posterior ciliary artery, and in all the parameters for the mean values of the short posterior ciliary arteries (p < 0.05). More advanced optic nerve damage in patients with POAG correlated with more severe reductions of CDI parameters of the retrobulbar circulation of patients with asymmetric disease. Further clinical color Doppler correlations are now mandatory to determine whether these vascular changes are pathogenetically important or epiphenomena.