Combined non‐penetrating deep sclerectomy with phacoemulsification versus non‐penetrating deep sclerectomy alone

Aims/Purpose: To compare the intraocular pressure after two surgical techniques: combined non‐penetrating deep sclerectomy with phacoemulsification (Phaco‐NPDS) and non‐penetrating deep sclerectomy (NPDS) alone. Methods: It is a retrospective study including thirty‐two patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) or pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PXG) who were not controlled with medication. They were assigned to Phaco‐NPDS (twenty‐two eyes) or NPDS (twenty eyes). Complications in surgery were noted and also, they were followed up after the surgery and intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured at one day, a month, six months and a year after the surgery. Moreover, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the number of the anti‐glaucoma medications at the end of the postoperative medication was measured. Results: Mean IOP in the Phaco‐NPDS group decreased from 24.55 ± 5.8 mmHg to 17.31 ± 2.1 mmHg and in the NPDS group from 26.05 ± 4.1 to 15.6 ± 2.3 mmHg one day after surgery. The decreases of IOP in the postoperative period were statistically significant in both groups (p 0.05). The mean number of glaucoma medications decreased from 3.31 ± 1.4 to 0.68 ± 0.2 and from 3.2 ± 1.3 to 0.3 ± 0.5 in the Phaco‐NPDS and NPDS groups, respectively. The decreases in the mean number of the anti‐glaucoma medications at the end of the postoperative, 24‐month follow‐up period were found to be statistically significant for both Phaco‐NPDS and NPDS groups (p