Intraocular Pressure Control with Ahmed Glaucoma Drainage Device in Patients with Cicatricial Ocular Surface Disease-associated or Aniridia-related Glaucoma

To analyze the control of intraocular pressure (IOP) with an Ahmed glaucoma drainage device (AGDD) in two groups of glaucoma patients--one with cicatricial ocular surface disease (COSD) and one with aniridia. This is a retrospective comparative case series of nine patients (11 eyes) with COSD and six patients (8 eyes) with aniridia who underwent AGDD surgery to control IOP. The main outcome measure in both groups was stability of IOP between 6 and 21 mmHg. Mean IOP decreased significantly in both groups after AGDD surgery (29.6 ± 8.7 vs 14.7 ± 2.5, p = 0.008 in the COSD group; 26.3 ± 8.2 vs 15.3 ± 5.8, p = 0.008 in the aniridia group). Over a mean post-surgery follow-up of 37.1 months in the COSD group, we managed to control IOP in nine eyes; IOP control was successful in 87 % of eyes at 12 months and 58 % of eyes at 26 months. Over a mean post-surgery follow-up of 37.4 months in the aniridia group, we managed to control the IOP in seven eyes; IOP control was successful in 87 % of eyes at 12 months. AGDD surgery had no significant deleterious effect on visual acuity in either group. A severe complication occurred in one eye (1/8) in the aniridia group (lost vision due to retinal detachment) and in one eye (1/11) in the COSD group (tube exposure). AGDD surgery is effective in controlling IOP and has a low complication rate in COSD and aniridia patients; however, some of the complications are severe and prompt management is needed to prevent deleterious results.