Open-angle glaucoma and Fuchs dystrophy
Authors: Samuelson Thomas W. , Larson Mark D. , Arosemena Analisa , Tanaka George , Boese Erin , Huang Marshall , Mardelli Marc , Krishna Rohit , Crandall David A. , Groth Sylvia L. , Khademi Zane N. , Petkovsek Daniel S. , Li Ang , Qiu Mary 
Published: June 2024

A 62-year-old woman with a history of moderate myopia, long-standing open-angle glaucoma (OAG), and Fuchs dystrophy in both eyes was referred for consultative care. She had prior trabeculectomy in 1984 and 1992 in the left and right eyes, respectively. She is 3 months post–Descemet-stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) in the left eye, now referred with uncontrolled intraocular pressure (IOP) despite maximum tolerated medical therapy. Current medical therapy for IOP consists of acetazolamide 250 mg by mouth 2 times a day, brimonidine 2 times a day in the left eye, dorzolamide 2 times a day in the left eye, and timolol 2 times a day in the left eye. The patient has a history of presumed steroid response; however, her corneal surgeon has requested that the steroid be continued for the next several months because of the recent DSEK. The IOP in the left eye has ranged from the mid-20s to mid-30s since DSEK. The right eye has consistently had pressure in the low teens and below for many years without topical antihypertensive medications.

Examination revealed stable visual acuity at 20/30 and 20/40 in the right and left eyes, respectively, IOP was 12 mm Hg in the right eye and 25 mm Hg in the left eye by Goldman applanation, irregular but reactive pupils without afferent defect, and full confrontational visual fields. Slitlamp examination showed superior low avascular bleb, moderate-to-severe guttae, and posterior chamber IOL in the right eye. The left eye showed superior low diffuse bleb, clear DSEK graft, quiet chamber, superonasal iridectomy, and posterior chamber IOL with an open posterior capsule. The conjunctiva was moderately scarred but a repeat trabeculectomy or Xen Gel stent (Abbvie) appeared possible. The angles were wide open in each eye. Fundus examination was normal aside from myopic, anomalous-appearing nerves with an approximate cup-to-disc ratio of 0.90 in both eyes. Humphrey visual field showed nonspecific changes on the right and moderate nasal defect on the left eye, stable to previous examinations dating back to 2018 (Figure 1

JOURNAL/jcrs/04.03/02158034-202407000-00018/figure1/v/2024-07-10T174240Z/r/image-tiff

and Figure 2

JOURNAL/jcrs/04.03/02158034-202407000-00018/figure2/v/2024-07-10T174240Z/r/image-tiff

). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) revealed moderated thinning in both eyes that was also stable to prior examinations (Figure 3

JOURNAL/jcrs/04.03/02158034-202407000-00018/figure3/v/2024-07-10T174240Z/r/image-tiff

). Her axial length measured 25.23 and 26.34 mm in the right and left eyes, respectively. Central corneal thickness was 553 μm in the right eye and 563 μm in the left eye before her DSEK procedure.

What would be your approach to management of this patient's left eye, addressing the following: Rationale for your procedure of choice? Would you over-rule the corneal surgeon and stop the steroid in an attempt to obviate the need for glaucoma surgery? Does the age of onset of glaucoma affect your surgical decision making? Note that patient age at the time of trabeculectomy was 22 years. Are some procedures better suited for patients after DSEK surgery?