A short-term comparison of surgical results between an ab-externo microshunt and trabeculectomy with a main focus on postoperative corneal astigmatism

To compare surgical results between ab-externo microshunt surgery and trabeculectomy, focusing on postoperative corneal astigmatism.

Retrospective study.

Subjects were patients with glaucoma who underwent either standalone ab-externo microshunt surgery or trabeculectomy. Data on ophthalmic examinations obtained preoperatively and 1, 3, and 5 months postoperatively were analyzed. To assess corneal astigmatism, two separate data sets measured by anterior segment optical coherence tomography and autorefractometer were evaluated. Multivariate linear mixed model analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with the astigmatism changes.

Sixty eyes were examined: 13 eyes underwent microshunt surgery, and 47 eyes underwent trabeculectomy. The total corneal astigmatism measurements by anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) were: − 1.15 ± 0.85 D and − 1.17 ± 0.81 D for the microshunt and trabeculectomy groups, respectively, preoperatively. At five months postoperatively they were − 0.92 ± 0.47 D and − 1.61 ± 0.83 D, respectively (P = 0.807 for the microshunt group and P = 0.005 for the trabeculectomy group: Wilcoxon signed-rank test). AS-OCT also indicated similar results for posterior corneal astigmatism. Autorefractometry also found the total corneal astigmatism was significantly changed only in the trabeculectomy group. The linear mixed model analysis revealed that trabeculectomy (P = 0.001), older age (P = 0.004), and longer postoperative period (P = 0.015) were correlated with greater astigmatism changes. The intraocular pressures significantly decreased following both surgical treatments.

Standalone ab-externo microshunt surgery has less effect on corneal astigmatism during a 5 month period than trabeculectomy. Both surgical procedures significantly reduced intraocular pressure.