Outcomes of lensectomy and risk factors for failure in spherophakic eyes with secondary glaucoma.

Purpose: To report the outcomes of lensectomy in spherophakic eyes with subluxated or dislocated crystalline lenses and secondary glaucoma.

Methods: Lensectomy was performed in 52 eyes, 36 eyes with lens subluxation and 16 eyes with lens dislocation with secondary glaucoma from 1991 to 2016. Glaucoma was diagnosed based on intraocular pressure (IOP) ≥22 mm Hg and/or glaucomatous optic disc damage. Complete success was defined as IOP ≥5 and ≤21 mm Hg without antiglaucoma medications (AGMs) or surgery, and eyes needing oral AGM or surgical intervention for IOP control or those with complication causing loss of light perception were considered failure.

Results: Median (IQR) age at lensectomy was 12 (6-18) years, and median spherical equivalent was -14.5D (-23.7to -13). Median follow-up was 30.6 (5.4-103.4) months. Median logMAR (logarithm of minimal angle of resolution) visual acuity improved from 0.95 (0.6-1.8) to 0.4 (0.2-1.3) after lensectomy (p=0.01). Median IOP decreased from 22 mm Hg (17-31) to 14 mm Hg (11-19) at final follow-up (p=0.01). Median number of AGM decreased from 2 (2-3) to 1 (0-2) at final follow-up (p<0.0001), and glaucoma surgery was needed in four eyes (7.7% eyes). Complete success probability was 69% at 1 year and 51% at 5 years. Younger age (<6 years), higher presenting IOP (>32 mm Hg) and larger cup to disc ratio at presentation were found to be significant risk factors for failure.

Conclusion: Lensectomy was effective in controlling IOP in close to half of all eyes with spherophakia and secondary glaucoma, 40% eyes needed AGM and only 7.7% eyes needed glaucoma surgery for IOP control. In this cohort, younger age, higher IOP and larger cup to disc ratio at presentation were risk factors for poor glaucoma control after lensectomy.