Surgical outcome of phacoemulsification combined with the Pearce trabeculectomy in patients with glaucoma.

The safety and efficacy of phacoemulsification and posterior chamber lens insertion combined with the Pearce trabeculectomy (PE/PCL/P-TRX) in patients with coexistent cataract and glaucoma was evaluated retrospectively. The Pearce trabeculectomy is a form of nonfiltration glaucoma surgery in which an inner block containing trabecular meshwork is excised under a scleral-pocket incision which is closed tightly. Thirty consecutive eyes sustained a reduction of mean intraocular pressure from 21.0 +/- 4.4 mm Hg to 16.6 +/- 3.3 mm Hg after PE/PCL/P-TRX at one year (P less than .001). The average number of glaucoma medications used was reduced from 1.9 to 0.8 postoperatively. At one year, 60% (18 of 30) of eyes treated with PE/PCL/P-TRX had intraocular pressures less than 21 mm Hg without medications.