AIM: To compare clinical efficacy between Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation and trabeculectomy in patients with primary open angle glaucoma(POAG).

METHODS: This retrospective study included 58 eyes from 45 patients with primary open angle glaucoma. And 32 eyes underwent penetrating trabeculectomy(group A), while 26 eyes were performed Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation(group B). Intraocular pressure(IOP), best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), visual field and post-operative complications were observed between these two groups.

RESULTS:(1)IOP: the IOP of post-operation in group A were(13.56±4.91),(14.47±4.03),(17.56±5.74),(18.25±5.49),(18.13±4.24),(19.68±4.55)mm Hg at 2d, 1, and 2wk, 1, 3 and 6mo respectively; and that were(13.58±4.16),(16.00±4.83),(18.00±5.05),(19.42±5.41),(18.42±3.37),(20.00±5.37)mm Hg in group B. There was no statistically significant difference in IOP between the two groups(P>0.05).(2)BCVA: the number of visual acuity decreased eyes, with 6mo follow-up, was 7(22%)in group A; and that was 5 in group B(19%). There was no statistically significant difference in vision loss postoperatively between the two groups(χ²=0.061, P>0.05).(3)Visual field: with 6mo follow-up, there were 13 eyes(41%)which had constricted visual field in group A, while those were 10 eyes(38%)in group B; the difference of visual field loss between the two groups was not statistically significant(χ²=0.028, P>0.05).(4)Complications: six-month follow-up after operation, there were 4 eyes with shallow anterior chamber, 4 eyes with complicated cataract and 1 eyes with Descemet's membrane detachment in group A, while that was 1 eyes with shallow anterior chamber and 1 eyes with complicated cataract in group B; there was statistically significant difference in the rate of complications between the two groups(χ²=4.144, P<0.05).(5)Surgical success rate: six month after operation, the completed success rate was 37%(12 eyes)in group A, and that was 35%(9 eyes)in group B. The partial success rate was 19%(6 eyes)and 15%(4 eyes)in group A and group B respectively. The difference of success rates between the two groups was not statistically significant(χ²=0.225, P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Both Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation and trabeculectomy are effective methods for the treatment of POAG. The clinical efficacy was no difference between the two methods. However, compared with trabeculectomy, Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation was safer and had fewer complications.