Short, Intermediate and Long Term Results of Ahmed Glaucoma Valve Implantation

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation for glaucomatous eyes in short, intermediate, and long term follow up periods.Patients and Methods:  In this retrospective study 76 eyes of 76 patients who underwent AGV insertion in Imam Hossein Medical Center, Tehran, Iran, between January 2008 and March 2017 with at least three years of followup were included. At each visit complete ophthalmic examination was performed and the success rate of surgery was assessed. Surgical success  was defined  as  5 ≤ IOP ≤ 21  mmHg  and  at  least  20 %  reduction  in  IOP without any glaucoma medication (complete success), or with the use of anti glaucoma medication (qualified success). The sum of complete and qualified success was reported as cumulative success.Results: The mean age of patients was 53.18 ± 16.92 years and the mean duration of follow up was 3.27 ± 2.36 years (range: 1-5 years). The complete surgical success rate was 20 % at 1 year, 18 % at 2 years, 16 % at 3 years, 15 % at 4 years, and 8 % at 5 years of followup and there was no medication free patient at more than 5 years followup. The cumulative success rate was 91 %, 88 %, 84 %, 80 %, and 77 % at 1 to 5 years of followup respectively.Conclusion: Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation for glaucomatous eyes results in acceptable IOP reduction and less medication need in short, intermediate, and long term follow up periods.Key words: Glaucoma; Intraocular pressure; Ahmed glaucoma valve; Treatment outcome.