AIM: To study the changes in higher-order aberrations following non-penetrating deep sclerectomy surgery augmented with sub-Tenon injection of mitomycin C(MMC)in patients with open angle glaucoma

METHODS: Twenty eyes from 20 patients were enrolled in the study. There were 10 eyes with primary open angle glaucoma(POAG)and 10 eyes with secondary open angle(SOAG; pseudoexfoliation). Patients underwent non-penetrating deep sclerectomy surgery augmented with sub-Tenon injections(0.2 mL of MMC 0.02%)before surgery. All patients were evaluated in terms of corneal total higher-order aberrations via i-Trace analyzer before surgery and 1mo and 3mo after surgery. The intraocular pressure(IOP), best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), and bleb morphology were evaluated at each visit. The success rate of surgery was categorized as complete, relative, or failure.

RESULTS: The IOP before surgery was 24.05±3.07 mmHg with a mean of 2.85±0.67 medication, which reached to 12.30±3.32 mmHg with 0.70±0.98 medication at the 3mo follow-up. The reduction in IOP was significant at all periods of the follow-up(P<0.001). The values of total higher-order total(HOT)root mean square(RMS)and total ocular spherical-like aberrations significantly increased at 1mo follow-up after surgery and decreased over the course of 3mo. Trefoil and total ocular coma-like aberration changes were not statistically significant at all periods after surgery. The HOT RMS, coma-like and spherical-like corneal increased significantly 1mo after surgery and decreased at the 3mo follow-up. Corneal trefoil changes were not statistically significant after surgery compared to preoperative state. Patients age and IOP did not have a significant effect on changes in HOT and corneal HOT aberrations.

CONCLUSION: Corneal and ocular higher-order aberrations increased within 1mo after deep sclerectomy surgery and then decreased over a 3mo period, which showed no statistically significant change compared to preoperative state. The BCVA and spherical equivalent(SE)of the patients shown no statistically significant differences compared to the preoperative state at the 3mo follow-up.