BACKGROUND: In recent years there have been significant developments in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. We conducted a study to determine whether there has been an associated change in trabeculectomy rates in England over this period. METHODS: Figures for the total number of trabeculectomies and cataract operations performed in England for each year from 1989/90 to 1999/2000 were obtained from the Department of Health, Hospital Episode Statistics Division. RESULTS: The available data show that the number of trabeculectomies and cataract operations increased year on year from 1990/91 until 1995/96. Since then, the number of cataract procedures has continued to rise dramatically, whereas the number of trabeculectomies has fallen progressively by 7%, 23%, 37% and 53% in the last 4 years. CONCLUSION: The perceived need for surgical intervention would appear to have been delayed or prevented. We postulate that several factors underlie this trend and that there are a number of implications regarding the future management of glaucoma patients.
BACKGROUND: In recent years there have been significant developments in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. We conducted a study to determine whether there has been an associated change in trabeculectomy rates in England over this period. METHODS: Figures for the total number of trabeculectomies and cataract operations performed in England for each year from 1989/90 to 1999/2000 were obtained from the Department of Health, Hospital Episode Statistics Division. RESULTS: The available data show that the number of trabeculectomies and cataract operations increased year on year from 1990/91 until 1995/96. Since then, the number of cataract procedures has continued to rise dramatically, whereas the number of trabeculectomies has fallen progressively by 7%, 23%, 37% and 53% in the last 4 years. CONCLUSION: The perceived need for surgical intervention would appear to have been delayed or prevented. We postulate that several factors underlie this trend and that there are a number of implications regarding the future management of glaucomapatients.
Authors: Iñaki Rodriguez-Agirretxe; Iker Garcia; Javier Soria; Tatiana Maria Suarez; Arantxa Acera Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-03-30 Impact factor: 3.240