A recent study examined the risk of patients developing corneal edema after glaucoma surgery and having Xen stents, MIGS or Glaucoma Drainage Devices (GDD) versus trabeculectomy.
Study results were published in the Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. With glaucoma affecting more than 2% of the world's population and being the second leading cause of blindness, it warrants closer attention to finding the best ways to treat the disease.
Patients involved in the study had undergone glaucoma surgery by the same surgeon between January 2005 and August 2024. Patients who had pre-existing corneal disease or corneal edema prior to surgery were not included in the study.
For those that developed corneal edema, it took an average of 6.2 years for edema onset to occur. The greatest incidence of corneal edema was found in patients who had received GDDs. In addition, researchers found that patients with a history of a number of surgeries had a greater risk of developing corneal edema.
These study results highlight the importance of long-term follow up for glaucoma patients and especially those with a history of surgeries.
