Early choroidal detachment after trabeculectomy.

PURPOSE: To estimate the occurrence of choroidal detachment (CD) in 17 patients operated on with trabeculectomy.

METHODS

Ultrasonography was used to assess the occurrence of CD and pachymetry was used to estimate the depth of the anterior chamber (AC). Mean follow-up was 19 months.

RESULTS

Twelve (71%) patients suffered from marked hypotony (IOP < or =5 mm Hg) and 9 (53%) patients suffered from shallowing of the AC some period early after operation. CD was diagnosed in 10 (59%) patients. Ophthalmoscopy was not sufficient to diagnose CD in 3 (18%) patients. None of the eyes without CD showed more than 10% reduction of the AC. Four of these eyes were markedly hypotonic. On the other hand, all markedly hypotonic eyes with more than 10% reduction of the AC developed CD.

CONCLUSION

No postoperative IOP level alone could separate patients at risk for CD development from patients without any such risk. However, concomitant marked hypotony and more than 10% reduction of the AC were found in 2/3 of the CD eyes.