Intraocular pressure outcomes following transscleral diode cyclophotocoagulation using long and short duration burns

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes of transscleral diode cyclophotocoagulation using short duration (SD) versus longer duration (LD) treatment. Patients and Methods: Data were collected retrospectively on patients with glaucoma who underwent cyclophotocoagulation with LD (4000 ms) treatment with variable power r1000mW versus SD using 1500 ms with variable power r2000mW. The outcome measures included: intraocular pressure (IOP) at 12 months, decrease in number of antiglaucoma medications, complications and visual acuity (VA) at the final follow-up visit. Results: There were 71 patients and 70 patients in the SD and LD groups, respectively. The mean IOP±SD pretreatment baseline was 33±10 versus 36±10mm Hg for SD and LD groups, respectively (P>0.05). At 1 year postoperatively, the IOP decreased significantly in both groups (16.7 vs. 17.4mm Hg for SD and LD, respectively; P<0.0001). This decrease in IOP was comparable between groups (P=0.5). The average number of IOP lowering medications were 2.5 and 2.9 at baseline in the SD and LD groups, respectively, and decreased to 1.3 in both groups (P=0.83). The mean LogMAR VA decreased significantly from 1.87 at baseline to 1.96 at 1 year in the SD group (P=0.276), and 2.03 to 2.3 (Pr0.001) in the LD group, this change was comparable (0.19; P=0.075) between the 2 groups. Complications were also comparable. Conclusions: Both LD and SD burns during cyclophotocoagulation effectively lowered IOP at 1 year. Neither treatment resulted in a greater reduction of IOP. LD treatment appeared to result in a decrease in VA and greater postoperative inflammation.