Effect of trabeculectomy on ocular higher-order aberrations in patients with open angle glaucoma

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of trabeculectomy on ocular higher-order aberrations following surgery in a group of patients with open angle glaucoma. METHODS In this prospective study, patients with primary open angle glaucoma underwent wavefront aberrometry before trabeculectomy with mitomycin-C. Coma-like, spherical-like, and total ocular higher-order aberrations were measured as root mean square values. The measurements were repeated 1 month and 3 months after the procedure. RESULTS A total of 20 eyes from 20 patients were examined. There was a significant decrease in intraocular pressure following surgery at 1 month and 3 months postoperatively. However, there was no statistically significant change in the spherical equivalent of the eyes. One month after surgery, a significant change in coma-like, spherical-like, and total higher-order aberrations of the eyes was observed. However, the repeated measurements performed 3 months after procedure revealed no significant difference compared to the baseline values. CONCLUSION Ocular higher-order aberrations increased 1 month following trabeculectomy surgery. However, this effect seems to be transient, as the values returned to the preoperative measurement 3 months after the procedure.