Early choroidal detachment after trabeculectomy

Purpose: To estimate the occurrence of choroidal detachment (CD) in 117 patients operated on with trabeculectomy. Methods: Ultrasonography was used to assess the occurrence of CD and pachymetry was used to estimate the depth of the anterior chamber (AC). Mean follow-up was 19 months. Results: Twelve (71%) patients suffered from marked hypotony (IOP less than or equal to 5 mm Hg) and 9 (53%) patients suffered from shallowing of the hC some period early after operation. CD was diagnosed in 10 (59%) patients. Ophthalmoscopy was not sufficient to diagnose CD in 3 (18%) patients. None of the eyes without CD showed more than 10% reduction of the AC. Four of these eyes were markedly hypotonic. On the other hand, all markedly hypotonic eyes with more than 10% reduction of the AC developed CD. Conclusion: No postoperative IOP level alone could separate patients at risk for CD development from patients without any such risk. However, concomitant marked hypotony and more than 10% reduction of the AC were found in 2/3 of the CD eyes.