Background: We investigated in a prospective fashion the visual prognosis and complications in normal-tension glaucoma following unilateral
trabeculectomy with adjunctive mitomycin C.
Methods: Trabeculectomy with adjunctive mitomycin C was carried out unilaterally in 21 cases of normal-tension glaucoma. Intraocular
pressure (IOP), visual prognosis, and complications were compared between the operated eyes and the non-operated fellow eyes.
The follow-up period ranged from 2 to 7 years.
Results: The IOP dropped significantly from 14.8±1.8 mmHg (mean ± SD) to 9.6±3.9 mmHg in the operated eyes (
P=0.0002, Wilcoxon signed-rank test ), but did not drop in the non-operated eyes. The mean deviation (MD) was –12.69±6.41 dB
preoperatively and –14.70±5.49 dB at the last clinic visit in the operated eyes, whereas in non-operated eyes it was –7.85±5.65
dB and –11.15± 5.62 dB, respectively. The MD deteriorated significantly in both operated and non-operated eyes (operated eyes
P=0.0239, non-operated eyes:
P=0.0002; Wilcoxon signed- rank test). The MD slope was –0.37±0.60 dB/year and –0.71± 0.89 dB/year for the operated and non-operated
eyes, respectively (
P=0.5243, Mann-Whitney
U-test). Visual field deterioration was more frequently observed in the non- operated eyes by a pointwise definition of the
progression (
P<0.05, McNemar test). Visual acuity deteriorated in 6 of the operated eyes and in 5 of the non-operated eyes. Cataract developed
in 6 (29%) of the 21 operated eyes, while among the non-operated eyes 4 (19%) developed cataract.
Conclusion: Mitomycin C trabeculectomy is effective in delaying progression of visual field defect in normal-tension glaucoma, but complications
may arise and cause some visual disturbance.
Received: 4 May 1999 Revised version received: 4 August 1999 Accepted: 16 August 1999