AIM: To analyze the effect of ocular massage in patients after glaucoma filtering surgery.

METHODS: Databases including the CNKI, VIP Information, WanFang and CBM were electronically searched for all randomized controlled trials(RCTs)about comparing the intraocular pressure(IOP), forming efficiency of functional filtering blebs and success rate of filtering surgery between patients with and without ocular massage after receiving filtering surgery. Two reviewers independently screened literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and evaluated the included studies. Then, Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.3 software.

RESULTS: Totally 20 eligible studies involving 1 757 eyes of 1 750 individuals were included to investigate the effect of ocular massage in patients after glaucoma filtering surgery. Ten of the studies were related with IOP. The results of Meta-analysis showed that IOP was better controlled in patients with ocular massage in the postoperative 2wk, 1 and 3mo \〖(WMD= -0.96, 95%CI(-1.83, -0.09), P<0.05\〗, \〖WMD= -2.68, 95%CI(-3.81, -1.55), P<0.05\〗 and \〖WMD= -3.98, 95%CI(-5.00, -2.96), P<0.05\〗, respectively. Fourteen of the studies were related with the forming efficiency of functional filtering blebs. The results of Meta-analysis showed that patients with ocular massage act better in forming functional blebs \〖RR=1.33, 95%CI(1.23, 1.44), P<0.05)\〗. Nine of the studies were related with the success rate of surgery. The results of Meta-analysis showed that patients with ocular massage had higher rate of surgery success \〖(RR=1.41, 95%CI(1.28, 1.55), P<0.05)\〗.

CONCLUSION: Ocular massage can help patients after filtering surgery to control IOP more effectively and promote the formation of functional filtering blebs, so as to improve the success rate of surgery.