Background and objective: To compare the safety and efficacy of fornix-based trabeculectomy with corneal valve to traditional limbal-based trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (MMC) in eyes with open-angle glaucoma.
Patients and methods: In this retrospective, nonrandomized, comparative study, 42 eyes that underwent limbal-based trabeculectomy with MMC were compared with 32 eyes with fornix-based trabeculectomy with corneal valve with MMC. Success was defined as final intraocular pressure (IOP) of at least 20% less than preoperative IOP and between 5 and 22 mm Hg. mean IOPs were 23.5 +/- 12.2 and 11.5 +/- 5.3 mm Hg, respectively, in the limbal-based group and 24.8 +/- 11.1 and 11.7 +/- 2.5 mm Hg, respectively, in the fornix-based group (P < .001 and P = .85, respectively). The fornix-based group had significantly less hypotony (3% vs. 21%, P < .05).
Conclusions: Fornix-based corneal valve trabeculectomy with posterior placement of MMC sponges provides IOP control comparable to limbal-based traditional trabeculectomy, with decreased incidence of hypotony.