The effect of chronic miotic therapy on the results of posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation and trabeculectomy in patients with glaucoma.

We reviewed the charts of 18 patients (20 glaucomatous eyes) who had not used pilocarpine prior to undergoing trabeculectomy combined with or performed later with posterior chamber lens implantation. We then compared postoperative results and complications in these patients with those in 35 other patients (40 glaucomatous eyes) in two age- and stage-matched groups who had used pilocarpine prior to undergoing the same procedures. All patients had a minimum follow-up of 6 months. There was no significant difference between these groups in terms of postoperative intraocular pressure and required glaucoma medications. However, in the pilocarpine-treated groups, there was a significantly higher incidence of complications, especially intraocular lens capture (P less than 0.05), and of worse visual outcomes (P less than 0.01).