Outcomes of Goniotomy With or Without Secondary Intraocular Lens Implantation in Pediatric Glaucoma Following Cataract Surgery: A Prospective Pilot Study

Purpose: To report the outcomes of a 120-degree goniotomy (GT) with or without secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in glaucoma following cataract surgery (GFCS).Design: Prospective, observational study.Methods: Pediatric patients with GFCS who underwent standalone 120-degree GT or 120-degree GT combined with secondary IOL implantation (GT+IOL) from March 2022 to August 2022 at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center were recruited. Primary outcomes were intraocular pressure (IOP) and the number of ocular hypotensive medications. A secondary outcome was the surgical success rate. Success was defined as a postoperative IOP within the range of 5-21 mm Hg. Complete and qualified successes were defined, as the above, without and with ocular hypotensive medications, respectively.Results: Thirty-two eyes of 22 patients were included. The mean age at the time of GT was 68.5 +/- 29.3 months. The mean follow-up duration was 12.2 +/- 2.3 months (9-15 mo). Mean IOP decreased from 30.9 +/- 4.8 mm Hg on 2 (interquartile range = 1) medications at baseline to 15.8 +/- 3.6 mm Hg on 0 (interquartile range = 1.5) medication at the latest visit in all eyes. The overall complete and qualified success rates were 68.8% and 90.6%, respectively. There were no significant differences in IOP, number of medications, and complete and qualified success rates between the standalone GT and GT+IOL groups at the latest follow-up at 9 months postoperatively.Conclusions: To reduce the need for additional surgery, 120-degree GT was a safe and effective surgical treatment for GFCS in children, which could be combined with secondary IOL implantation in aphakic eyes with GFCS.

Automated summary

This study reports the outcomes of a 120-degree goniotomy (GT) as a treatment for glaucoma in pediatric patients following cataract surgery. The results show that this surgery can effectively reduce intraocular pressure and decrease the need for ocular hypotensive medications, with a high success rate.