The effect of high-intensity focused ultrasound on intraocular pressure in therapy-resistant glaucoma 3-4 months and 1 year after treatment.

The effect of therapeutic ultrasound for the treatment of refractory glaucoma was evaluated in 44 patients by comparing average IOP curves measured before and 3-4 months after treatment. The insonification regime was standardized and the glaucoma medication in each individual patient was unchanged during IOP curve measurements. The average IOP decrease 3-4 months after insonification was 42.2% +/- SD 31.9. In 23 patients who were followed for at least one year the average IOP 3-4 months after treatment was compared with the average IOP 1 year after treatment. In this group average IOP 3-4 months after treatment was 25.3 mmHg +/- SD 16.4 and average IOP 1 year after treatment was 24.1 mmHg +/- SD 15.9. The correlation coefficient between IOP 3-4 months after treatment and IOP 1 year after treatment was 0.79 (P < 0.0001).