2332 Disc hemorrhages and deterioration of visual fields in glaucoma

VISUAL FIELD PRESERVATION IN ADVANCED PRIMARY OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA AFTER FILTRATION SURGERY Traverse C.E., Semino E., Morescalchi F., Corazza M., Gandolfo E., Zingirian M. University Eye Clinic of Genoa (Italy) PURPOSE: To evaluate Visual Field (V.F.) changes in patients with advanced primary open-angle glaucoma undergoing filtration surgery. METHODS: Selection criteria: preoperative IOP z= 21 mmHg; postoperative IOP < 16 mmHg on no medications; itable visual acuity and pupil size: preoperative visual field with MD > 6 dB (Humphrey 30.2); minimum follow-up of 10 months. 27 patients met the above criteria; 14 had postoperative IOP < 12 and > 4 mmHg. V.F. data were analyzed using the Statpac 2 Glaucoma Probability Change program and the Wilcoxon Rank-Sum Test. RESULTS: A statistically significant (Wilcoxon Rank-Sum Test) decrease in mean defect was detected after surgically lowering IOP. Better results were obtained in patients with IOP between 4 and 12 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the hypothesis of a favorable effect of lowering IOP surgically in patients with advanced primary open-angle glaucoma.