A comparative study of trabeculectomy and the new clear-cornea filtering procedure, intrastromal diathermal keratostomy (IDK)

Purpose: For the first time to compare the 1‐year success rates of trabeculectomy and the new clear‐cornea filtering procedure, intrastromal diathermal keratostomy (IDK). Methods: Prospective clinical observational study including 99 consecutively operated eyes (69 patients) with well‐established primary open‐angle glaucoma referred for filtering operation. We compared the change in intraocular pressure (IOP), number of anti‐glaucomatous medication, complications and reoperations after 1 year. Seventy‐four eyes were operated with trabeculectomy, and 25 with IDK. Complete success was defined as IOP ≤18 mmHg, IOP lowered ≥30%, no medication and no reoperation. Qualified success was defined as IOP ≤18 mmHg, and IOP lowered ≥30% with or without medication or reoperation. Results: Intraocular pressure pre‐ and postoperatively in the trabeculectomy group was 25.3 and 14.1 mmHg versus 23.8 and 15.8 mmHg in the IDK group. The number of medications pre‐ and postoperatively in the trabeculectomy group was 3.1 and 0.5 versus 3.2 and 1.3 in the IDK group. Forty‐four (59%) of the eyes in the trabeculectomy group met the complete success criteria compared with 5 (20%) in the IDK group (p