Stabilization Time of Anterior Segment Parameters After Trabeculectomy Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the postoperative changes in the anterior segment parameters by Scheimpflug imaging method in patients undergoing trabeculectomy surgery.

METHODS: This prospective study included 38 phakic eyes of 38 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma who underwent trabeculectomy. Anterior chamber angle (ACA), anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV), and central corneal thickness (CCT) of the eyes were measured by performing Scheimpflug imaging in preoperative (baseline) and postoperative periods (1st week and 1st, 3rd, and 6th months after the surgery).

RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in all the anterior segment parameters during the postoperative period (P<0.001 for ACA, ACD, and CCT; P=0.001 for ACV). Compared with preoperative values, ACA, ACD, and ACV values decreased and CCT value increased in the 1st postoperative week (P<0.001 for all the parameters). Compared with the 1st postoperative-week values, ACA, ACD, and ACV values significantly increased and CCT value significantly decreased in the 1st postoperative month (P=0.002 for ACV; P<0.001 for ACA, ACD, and CCT). However, no significant differences were observed between the baseline and 1st postoperative-month values (P>0.05 for all the parameters). Moreover, the changes in the anterior segment parameters were not statistically significant after the 1st postoperative month.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that the changes in the anterior segment parameters observed in the early postoperative period after trabeculectomy returned to their baseline values after approximately 1 month after the surgery and remained stable thereafter.