Quantification of the filtering bleb's structure with anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study is to determine the relationship between post-trabeculectomy bleb structure evaluated using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) and postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP).

DESIGN

Rretrospective is showed for the design of this study.

PARTICIPANTS

There are twenty-seven eyes of 27 trabeculectomy patients.

METHODS

We drew contour lines for the bleb and cleft on 8-radius-scanned AS-OCT images, and determined correlations of AS-OCT measurements to postoperative IOP at 6 months.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The parameter used in this study is an anterior segment optical coherence tomography measurements of bleb structure, including cleft volume, wall volume, and the brightness of the bleb wall.

RESULTS

We found significant correlations between postoperative IOP at 6 months and cleft volume at 3 and 6 months (r = -0.56, P = 0.007 and r = -0.82, P <0.001), bleb wall volume at 6 months (r = -0.48, P = 0.042), bleb vertical brightness at 3 and 6 months (r = 0.73, P < 0.001 and r = 0.49, P = 0.040), and bleb horizontal brightness at 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 months and 6 months (r = 0.49, P = 0.016, r = 0.65, P < 0.001, r = 0.52, P = 0.013 and r = 0.71, P = 0.001). A stepwise multiple regression analysis of bleb structural measurements made ≤2 weeks postoperatively showed that the strongest independent factor indicating postoperative IOP at 6 months was bleb horizontal brightness at 2 weeks (β = 0.50, P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Early postoperative AS-OCT measurements of blebs, especially horizontal brightness of the bleb wall, were associated with postoperative IOP at 6 months. AS-OCT measurements of blebs may be useful predictors of trabeculectomy outcomes.