Use of oversized bandage soft contact lenses in the management of early hypotony following filtration surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Initial overdrainage following filtration surgery can be frustrating to manage. The authors reviewed the records of 10 patients with early postoperative hypotony following filtration surgery who were treated with application of an oversized 17.0-mm bandage soft contact lens (BSCL).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Nine eyes had undergone trabeculectomy with either mitomycin-C or 5-fluorouracil intraoperative application, and one eye had undergone tenonectomy 4 years following trabeculectomy. On postoperative day 1, seven eyes were hypotonous, and three other eyes became hypotonous following suture removal or lysis. An oversized 17.0-mm BSCL was placed immediately following the diagnosis of hypotony on all eyes except one, which had the BSCL applied after 24 hours of observation.

RESULTS

In 9 of 10 cases intraocular pressure rose 5 to 12 mm Hg following placement of the BSCL. During a 6- to 18-months follow-up, all successfully treated eyes had final intraocular pressures of 5 to 11 mm Hg, with extensive low to moderate height blebs.

CONCLUSION

Oversized BSCLs can be a useful tool in the management of early hypotony following filtration surgery.