AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of preoperative intravitreal injection of ranibizumab(IVR)and panretinal photocoagulation(PRP)combined with conventional trabeculectomy without drainage device in patients with neovascular glaucoma(NVG).

METHODS: The charts of 27 patients(27 eyes)who presented with NVG in our hospital between August 2015 and November 2018 were reviewed. All eyes were treated using the standard protocol of IVR accompanied by PRP, followed by conventional trabeculectomy without drainage device. The main outcomes were intraocular pressure(IOP)control, change in best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), and surgical complications.

RESULTS: The postoperative follow-up periods for all patients were at least 18(mean 21.7±4.3)mo. The IOP significantly decreased from 45.7±5.1 mmHg(baseline)to 18.4±3.6 mmHg(last visit), and BCVA(LogMAR)improved from 2.42±0.68(baseline)to 1.77±0.93(last visit). The success rate was higher in eyes with peripheral anterior synechiae(PAS)≤50% than in those with PAS >50% after 3mo postoperatively. The main surgical complications were hyphema(11.1%)and hypotony with a shallow anterior chamber(14.8%)during the early postoperative stage, along with encapsulated bleb(37.0%)during the mid-late postoperative stage. Serious intraoperative or postoperative complications were not observed.

CONCLUSION: IVR and PRP combined with conventional trabeculectomy without drainage device is a safe and effective way in NVG treatment, especially for eyes with PAS ≤50%. Preoperative IVR and PRP appear to improve the success rate.