Treatment Outcomes of Slow Coagulation Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation for Medically Uncontrolled Glaucoma in Korean Patients

Précis: Slow coagulation transscleral cyclophotocoagulation showed useful intraocular pressure control in Korean patients with medically uncontrolled glaucoma. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the treatment outcomes of slow coagulation transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (SC-CPC) in Korean patients with medically uncontrolled glaucoma. Methods: Medical records of 95 eyes from 95 patients who underwent SC-CPC to control intraocular pressure (IOP) were reviewed. Success was defined as an IOP of 6–21 mmHg with a ≥20% reduction from baseline, and no additional incisional surgery for glaucoma. Visual acuity presented as logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR), the number of glaucoma medications, corneal endothelial cell count, and complications were analyzed. Results: At 12 months postoperatively, mean IOP decreased from 32.7±13.8 mmHg to 16.2±9.4 mmHg ( P <0.001) and the mean number of medications decreased from 2.6±0.9 to 2.0±1.0 ( P <0.001). Mean visual acuity declined from 0.69±0.94 to 0.80±0.99 logMAR ( P =0.015). No significant changes were found in corneal endothelial cell counts at any postoperative visits ( P >0.05). Eighteen eyes (18.9%) underwent repeated SC-CPC treatments. The most common complication was transient hypotony (4.2%), followed by macular edema (3.2%), prolonged hypotony (1.1%), and corneal decompensation (1.1%). The 12-month success rate was 57.1%. Conclusion: SC-CPC is a useful method for IOP control in Korean patients with medically uncontrolled glaucoma.