Researchers claim cataract removal more effective for glaucoma

Researchers from Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland, in conjunction with the University of St Andrews and University of Aberdeen in Scotland, compared two treatments for glaucoma – laser iridotomy, the ‘standard’ treatment for the disease, and lens extraction with intraocular lens implantation, which is used to restore vision for patients with cataracts.The study involved 419 patients, with 208 receiving the lens extraction procedure and 211 receiving laser iridotomy. The patients were treated at hospitals in the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Australia.After three years, the outcomes of patients were reviewed. The results showed that initial lens extraction surgery was more effective than standard laser treatment in terms of patient reported health, vision, and for lowering eye pressure. It was also shown that patients who undertook the lens extraction surgery required fewer eye drops to control their glaucoma.Professor Augusto Azuara-Blanco of Queen’s University Belfast, who led the trial, said patients who received the lens extraction and implantation procedure were more likely to report better quality of life and better vision. He added that it was also more cost-effective than the current standard treatment, although he noted that both options appear to be equally safe . Vision loss is costly to individuals and society and can have a huge impact on an individual’s quality of life, Prof Azuara-Blanco stated. The superiority of clear-lens extraction in terms of patient outcomes and cost-saving, along with the absence of any serious safety issues with this technique, should help contribute to a case for this approach to be considered as the initial treatment for people with primary angle-closure glaucoma. The study was published in The Lancet journal.