Kentaro Iwasaki1, Shogo Arimura1, Yoshihiro Takamura1, Masaru Inatani2. 1. Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, 23-3 Shimoaizuki, Matsuoka, Eiheiji, Yoshida, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan. 2. Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, 23-3 Shimoaizuki, Matsuoka, Eiheiji, Yoshida, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan. inatani@u-fukui.ac.jp.
Abstract
PURPOSE: This study evaluated the surgical practice patterns of glaucoma management followed by glaucoma specialists in Japan. METHODS: A survey was administered to 50 glaucoma specialists who were councilors in the Japan Glaucoma Society about surgical preferences and postoperative glaucoma care. RESULTS: All 50 glaucoma specialists participated in the survey. Results show that, in 2019, compared to conventional trabeculotomy (4.6%), the frequency of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), combined with phacoemulsification, remarkably increased (79.0%) for non-operated eyes with mild open-angle glaucoma associated with cataract. Tube-shunt surgery was performed more often for open-angle glaucoma with previously twice failed trabeculectomy (65.8%) and neovascular glaucoma with previously once failed trabeculectomy (63.4%). In addition, during one year post-operatively, MIGS required less frequent follow-up visits compared to filtering surgery. CONCLUSION: Although glaucoma specialists in the Japan Glaucoma Society usually prefer trabeculectomy, in the past decade they have selected tube-shunt surgery more often to treat refractory glaucoma. MIGS is increasing remarkably as the choice primary glaucoma surgery.
PURPOSE: This study evaluated the surgical practice patterns of glaucoma management followed by glaucoma specialists in Japan. METHODS: A survey was administered to 50 glaucoma specialists who were councilors in the Japan Glaucoma Society about surgical preferences and postoperative glaucoma care. RESULTS: All 50 glaucoma specialists participated in the survey. Results show that, in 2019, compared to conventional trabeculotomy (4.6%), the frequency of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), combined with phacoemulsification, remarkably increased (79.0%) for non-operated eyes with mild open-angle glaucoma associated with cataract. Tube-shunt surgery was performed more often for open-angle glaucoma with previously twice failed trabeculectomy (65.8%) and neovascular glaucoma with previously once failed trabeculectomy (63.4%). In addition, during one year post-operatively, MIGS required less frequent follow-up visits compared to filtering surgery. CONCLUSION: Although glaucoma specialists in the Japan Glaucoma Society usually prefer trabeculectomy, in the past decade they have selected tube-shunt surgery more often to treat refractory glaucoma. MIGS is increasing remarkably as the choice primary glaucoma surgery.