Modified phacoemulsification plus goniosynechialysis compared with conventional surgery for cataract and glaucoma

Optic nerve damage and visual impairment caused by glaucoma affect 66.8 million people worldwide, and causing bilateral blindness in 6.7 million people. Surgery is the main method for the treatment of cataract with glaucoma. In recent years, clinicians have increasingly paid attention to and applied phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation combined with goniosynechialysis for the treatment of cataract with angle-closure glaucoma. However, for patients with complicated cataract, the high ultrasonic energy of traditional phacoemulsification can largely damage the corneal endothelium. Modified phacoemulsification (lower ultrasonic energy) and intraocular lens implantation have now achieved certain efficacy. The efficacy and safety of modified phacoemulsification plus goniosynechialysis compared with conventional surgery for cataract and glaucoma was investigated. A total of 125 patients who underwent goniosynechialysis combined with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation were enrolled in the control group, while 179 patients treated by modified phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation combined with goniosynechialysis were enrolled in the research group. The visual acuity and intraocular pressure were observed before and 6 months after surgery in both groups, and the incidence of complications was analyzed. After treatment, there were more patients with visual acuity of 0.2–0.4 and >0.4 in the research group than in the control group (P<0.05). The incidence of corneal edema and anterior chamber inflammation was lower in the research group than in the control group (both P<0.05), while the preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressure, central anterior chamber depth, angle-opening distance, and peripheral iridocorneal adhesions were not significantly different between the two groups (all P>0.05). Modified phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation plus goniosynechialysis for cataract with glaucoma can better improve the visual acuity, as well as effectively reduce corneal edema and anterior chamber inflammation.