Intraocular pressure and anterior chamber angle changes after phacoemulsification in different types of acute angle-closure glaucoma

Objective To evaluate the relationship between intraocular pressure (IOP) and anterior chamber angle in patients with different types of acute angle-closure glaucoma after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation. Design Retrospective case series. Participants 173 cases of acute angle-closure glaucoma coexisting cataract (173 eyes) in Mingren Eye Hospital from January, 2005 to June, 2007. Methods All patients with acute angle-closure glaucoma underwent phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation, and were examined with high-frequency ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM). Anterior chamber depth (ACD), intraocular pressure (IOP) and anterior chamber angle (ACA) were measured. Follow-up was 1-48 weeks after surgery. Main Outcome Measures Intraocular pressure, phacoemulsification complications, re-open rate of anterior chamber angle. Results At 8th week after surgery, the rate of IOP control in pupillary block group, non-pupillary blocking group, and multimechanism group was 88.9%, 52.0%, 83.4%, respectively and there was a statistically significant between these groups (χ2=7.13, P=0.022). At 48th week, the rate of IOP control was 54.2%, 33.3%, 35.8%, respectively(χ2=12.56, P=0.003). Fifty patients were follow up with UBM, and 66.7% in pupillary block group, 33.3% in non-pupillary blocking group and 33.3% in multimechanism group in 48 weeks postoperatively showed evidence of the widened anterior chamber angle. No specific postoperative complications were found in this study compared with those with phacoemulsification without glaucoma. Conclusions The use of phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation for acute angle-closure glaucoma coexsiting cataract can get best IOP-controlled rates in pupillary block group. It is related to the degree of widened anterior chamber angle.