BMJ  2006;333 (4 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7575.0-a

radiation improves success of glaucoma surgery

Intraoperative radiation greatly reduces the recurrence of raised intraocular pressure after trabeculectomy in black African patients. In this double blind randomised controlled trial of 450 patients, Kirwan and colleagues (p 942) estimated the risk of operative failure to be 5% (95% confidence interval 2% to 10%) in the intervention group compared with 30% (22% to 38%) in the group that underwent surgery alone. Treatment with radiation was associated with a significantly higher incidence of cataract requiring surgery at two years, however. Visual acuity was similar in both groups.

Credit: GEOFF TOMPKINSON

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Effect of radiation on success of glaucoma drainage surgery in South Africa: randomised controlled trial

James F Kirwan, Simon Cousens, Lynette Venter, Colin Cook, Andries Stulting, Paul Roux, and Ian Murdoch
BMJ 2006 333: 942. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]