PURPOSE. To assess the prognostic significance of the LAF coefficient (Lens thickness/Axial length factor) as a risk factor for acute glaucoma attack in anatomically short eyes of Europeans.

METHODS. Group 1 consisted of 24 patients (48 eyes) with axial hyperopia. Group 2 included 24 patients (48 eyes) with primary closure of the anterior chamber angle. Group 3 — 17 patients (34 eyes) with initial stage of primary angleclosure glaucoma. Group 4 — 35 patients (35 eyes) with an acute attack of glaucoma. The studied groups did not differ in age (p=0.97) and gender (p=0.28). Lens thickness and axial length (AL) were measured by A-scan with calculation of the LAF coefficient.

RESULTS. The LAF coefficient in group 4 (acute attack) was statistically significantly higher than in the other three groups. The best separation of groups 1 and 4 was seen in LAF coefficient compared to lens thickness and AL with sensitivity, specificity and the area under the curve (AUC) of 89%, 83% and 0.9, respectively. LAF coefficient values greater than 2.332 in patients with short AL are objectively associated with high risk of acute attack of glaucoma. The average value of the LAF coefficient (2.528) observed in group 4 (acute attack of glaucoma) significantly exceeds these parameters in works of other authors, which may be associated with morphometric structural features of the eyes of Europeans compared to the eyes of Asians.

CONCLUSION. The LAF coefficient provides better separation of group 1 and 4 in comparison with lens thickness and, especially, axial length. LAF coefficient values greater than 2.332 in eyes with short AL objectively indicate high risk of acute attack of glaucoma, as evidenced by high sensitivity, specificity, and AUC.

PURPOSE. To conduct a comparative study of the balance of macro- and microelements in scleral biopsy samples taken from patients with various clinical forms of glaucoma.

METHODS. The content of macro- and microelements was analyzed in scleral biopsy samples of 16 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), 13 patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and 15 patients with pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PEG). The mean age of the patients was 79.5±2.5 years. For control, fragments of the sclera of 14 cadaveric eyes without a history of glaucoma were used. Concentration of macroelements — K, Mg, Ca, Fe — was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, the level of microelements — Zn, Cu, Al, Mn — by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

RESULTS. A statistically significant shift in the balance of Cu/Zn compared with controls was found in all forms of glaucoma: NTG (p=0.008), PEG (p=0.006), POAG (p=0.03); while no differences between NTG and POAG in this indicator were detected (p=0.609), with PEG the difference was significant (p=0.0001). The Cu/Fe ratio in the scleral samples of glaucomatous eyes also significantly differed from controls in both NTG (p=0.009) and PEG (p=0.006), as well as in POAG (p=0.006). This parameter in patients with POAG significantly differed from the corresponding parameter in the groups with NTG (p=0.0001) and PEG (p=0.016). A shift in the balance of Mn/Cu compared with controls was detected only in the sclera of patients with NTG (p=0.0064), there were no corresponding differences with controls in PEG (p=0.157) and POAG (p=0.773), but a significant difference was found between NTG and POAG groups (p=0.0001). The balance of Mn/Fe in comparison with the control group was disturbed in all forms of glaucoma: NTG (p=0.0066), PEG (p=0.00034), POAG (p=0.0027). At the same time, in patients with NTG and PEG, the balance of Mn/Fe differed significantly from this indicator in POAG (p=0.078 and p=0.0485, respectively). The most pronounced imbalance of Mg/Ca compared with controls was found in the sclera of patients with PEG (p=0.01) and POAG (p=0.0254).

CONCLUSION. In all studied forms of glaucoma, disturbances in the ratios of Cu/Zn, Cu/Fe, Mn/Cu, Mn/Fe and Mg/Ca of varying severity in the sclera were revealed in comparison with the sclera of eyes without glaucoma. Differences in the indicated ratios between NTG, POAG and PEG have also been established, which may define the features in the pathogenesis and clinical course of these forms of glaucomatous lesions.

PURPOSE. Comparative analysis of clinical and demographic characteristics of patients admitted for surgical treatment of primary open-angle glaucoma in the Krasnoyask Krai over the past 15 years.

METHODS. The study analyzed 2426 medical histories of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma who underwent surgical antihypertensive intervention at the Krasnoyarsk Regional Ophthalmic Clinical Hospital named after Professor P.G. Makarov in 2007–2021.

RESULTS. It was found that the proportion of men was significantly higher than women among patients who underwent surgical treatment of glaucoma. The mean age of operated patients was comparable across the entire period and ranged from 66.4 to 69.0 years. The proportion of patients with advanced stage of the disease increased during the study period from 50.7% to 75.5% (p<0.001). In 73–83% of cases, interventions were performed on patients with uncompensated, moderately elevated or high intraocular pressure.

CONCLUSION. Considering the dominating proportion of eyes with advanced stage of the disease (50.7–75.5% of cases), as well as high initial levels of intraocular pressure, it can be assumed that in some cases such patients are still referred to surgical treatment late, although presently it can be associated with problems in planned care due to the ongoing pandemic.

The article describes a clinical case of diagnostics and diagnosis of pigmentary glaucoma with pseudo-normal pressure in a patient who had previously underwent radial keratotomy (RKT).

This case is interesting in that the detection of pigmentary glaucoma can be significantly complicated by a falsely low level of intraocular pressure (IOP) in the myopic eye after previous RKT and secondary hypermetropic shift, combined with the difficulty of an in-depth ophthalmoscopic assessment of the state of the optic nerve head in myopia, as well as perimetric study due to keratotomy scars. Tonometric IOP readings in such eyes should be considered carefully and supplemented with examination of other characteristic clinical signs of pigmentary glaucoma. This would help establish the diagnosis early and timely prescribe pathogenetic treatment.

PURPOSE. To determine the indications for Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation by analyzing the duration and regimen of hypotensive therapy, and the configuration of previous interventions.

METHODS. Retrospective evaluation of the duration and intensity of therapeutic treatment, and the configuration of laser and surgical procedures in a group of 139 patients (153 interventions) who underwent Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation in 2009–2011, and another group of 270 patients (272 interventions) who were treated in 2019–2010.

RESULTS. The average age of candidates for implantation of the Ahmed valve increased from 63 y.o. in 2009–2011 to 70 y.o. in 2019–2020. The treatment preceding Ahmed valve implantation had extended in duration from 8.8±1.4 to 11.2±1.1 years leading to an increase in cumulative preservative toxicity from 9 293.8±968.6 to 10 038.1±888.9 µg. The main classes of intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering drugs were prostaglandin analogues (75.4% in 2009–2011 and 77.1% in 2019–2020), carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (75.4% and 82.6%), and beta-blockers (57.4% and 61.1% accordingly). Laser trabeculoplasty was performed in only 11.8% and 28.7% of cases, respectively. Hypotensive filtering operations preceded valve implantation in 63.4% (2009–2011) and 80.5% of cases (2019–2020), while in the rest of patients the installation of the Ahmed device was the first surgical procedure. Despite treatment, the rate of glaucoma progression to an advanced stage increased from 62.1% in 2009–2011 to 82.7% in 2019–2020.

CONCLUSION. With increase in the duration of conservative management of glaucoma its progression continues, while the increased preservative toxicity reduces the effectiveness of conjunctival surgery. In conclusion, earlier switch to surgical methods of IOP normalization involving the use of the Ahmed valve is advisable not only in secondary, but also in primary open-angle glaucoma treated conser-vatively for a long (over 7–8 years) period.

PURPOSE. Analysis of the results of surgical treatment of glaucoma by non-penetrating deep sclerectomy (NPDS) combined with suprachoroidal implantation of collagen drainage.

METHODS. This open prospective study included a total of 98 patients (104 eyes), 45 men and 53 women with primary open-angle glaucoma who were examined and operated on. All patients underwent non-penetrating deep sclerectomy with implantation of the "Xenoplast" drainage. Group I (n=72) consisted of patients without suprachoroidal drainage, and Group II (n=32) — patients who were implanted the drainage. Group I included 15 cases (20.8%) with stage I glaucoma, 17 (23.6%) — stage II, 38 (52.8%) — stage III and 2 (2.8%) — stage IV. Group II patients had stage I glaucoma in 8 cases (25%), stage II in 5 (15.6%), stage III in 17 (53.1%) and stage IV in 2 cases (6.3%). The mean age of study patients was 68.2±7.4 years.

RESULTS. All early postoperative complications were transient. There were no significant differences in the frequency of complications between the two groups (p>0.05). In group I patients, Descemet’s goniopuncture was performed significantly more frequently than in group II (p<0.05). No complications were detected in the late postoperative period. Pronounced hypotensive effect was

observed in both groups on the first day after the operation, IOP in group I was slightly lower and amounted to 15.5±2.3 mm Hg in comparison with 17.3±2.5 mm Hg in group II (p>0.05). Further, after 7 days and 1 month, we observed a slight increase of IOP in group I up to 17.2±2.0 mm Hg, while in Group II it remained practically unchanged. After 1 and 2 years of observation, a respective increase of the mean IOP to 18.5±2.8 and 17.8±2.6 mm Hg was registered in group I. Group II, on the contrary, showed a decrease in IOP in these periods to 16.8±1.9 and 16.2±1.8 mm Hg, respectively (differences between the groups were not statistically significant, p>0.05). In group I, the mean number of instillations used to achieve target IOP was 0.89±0.27; in group II it was 0.83±0.26 (p>0.05). The rate of achieving "complete" success after 6 months and 2 years of observation in groups I and II did not differ significantly and was 94.4% and 90.6%, 65.3% and 59.4%, respectively (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the results of non-penetrating deep sclerectomy and collagen drainage implantation depending on the involvement of the suprachoroidal space in the operation with 24 months follow-up. Both groups were comparable in the majority of studied parameters, except for the frequency of laser Descemet’s goniopuncture in the postoperative period (it was significantly lower in the group with suprachoroidal drainage). The proposed technique is effective and safe in the treatment of primary open-angle glaucoma.

PURPOSE. To demonstrate the advisability of early lens extraction in the treatment of primary angle closure disease in clinical practice.

METHODS. The study presents three clinical cases with patients at different stages of primary angle closure disease (PACD). The first one is related to the development of a bilateral acute attack of primary angle closure (PAC) that happened in the intensive care unit during treatment for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) associated with COVID-19 pneumonia in a patient with a previously undiagnosed PACD. The second case demonstrates the progression of glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON) in early primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) after laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) and delayed selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) in a patient with increased lens thickness. The third example illustrates the progression of advanced PACG in the right eye (OD) and moderate PACG in the left eye (OS) due to formation of goniosynechiae after bilateral LPI, which required transscleral diode cyclophotocoagulation (TSCP) in OD and trabeculectomy in OS. Subsequently, bilateral cataract phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation (CPE+IOL) and SLT were performed.

RESULTS. In the first clinical case, advanced PACG developed in both eyes within 2 months. After bilateral LPI, trabeculectomy, compensation of intraocular pressure (IOP) was achieved, visual functions stabilized. In the second clinical case, 5.5 years after LPI and SLT, an increase in the thickness of the lens was revealed (in OD by 0.2 mm, in OS by 0.48 mm). GON did not progress in OD (thinning rate of the retinal nerve fiber layer was 0.94 µm/year, p=0.32) and the progression rate in OS was -1.04 µm/year (p=0.018). Taking into account the lens-involved mechanism of PACD progression, bilateral CPE+IOL was recommended. In the third clinical example, IOP remained elevated after bilateral LPI, TSCP in OD and trabeculectomy in OS as a result of goniosinechiogenesis, and therefore CPE+IOL also did not lead to its decrease. After bilateral SLT, compensation of IOP was achieved without local hypotensive therapy (IOP measured by Icare: OD 18.0 mm Hg, OS 15 mm Hg).

CONCLUSION. In order to preserve visual functions, CPE+IOL is highly recommended at the very beginning of PACD, before the formation of GON and goniosynechiae. This is dictated by the dominant role of the lens-involved mechanism in PACD formation, as demonstrated in the described clinical examples.

PURPOSE. To demonstrate the feasibility of early lens extraction in the treatment of primary angle closure disease in clinical practice.

MATERIAL AND METHODS. Three clinical cases are presented at different stages of primary angle closure disease (PACD). The first one is related to the development of a bilateral acute attack of primary angle closure (PAC) in the intensive care unit during the treatment for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) associated with COVID-19 pneumonia in a patient with a previously undiagnosed PACD. The second case demonstrates the progression of glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON) in early primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) after laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) and delayed selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) against the background of increased lens thickness. The third example illustrates the progression of advanced PACG in the right eye (OD) and moderate PACG in the left eye (OS), which was due to the formation of goniosynechia after bilateral LPI, which required transscleral diode cyclophotocoagulation (TSCP) in OD and trabeculectomy in OS. Subsequently, bilateral lens extraction with implantation of an intraocular lens (LE+IOL) and SLT was performed.

RESULTS. In the first clinical case, advanced PACG developed in both eyes within 2 months. After bilateral LPI, trabeculectomy, compensation of intraocular pressure (IOP) was achieved, visual functions remained the same. In the second clinical case, 5.5 years after LPI and SLT, an increase in the thickness of the lens was revealed (OD by 0.2 mm, OS 0.48 mm). GON did not progress in OD (the rate of thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer was 0.94 µm/year, p=0.32 and the progression rate in OS was -1.04 µm/year (p=0.018). Taking into account the lens mechanism of the progression of PACD, bilateral LE+IOL was recommended. In the third clinical example IOP remained elevated after bilateral LPI, TSCP in OD and trabeculectomy in OS as a result of goniosinechiogenesis, and therefore LE+IOL also did not lead to its decrease. After bilateral SLT, compensation of IOP was achieved without local hypotensive therapy (IOP, Icare: OD 18.0 mm Hg, OS 15 mm Hg).

CONCLUSION. For preserving visual functions LE+IOL is highly recommended at the very beginning of PACD in order to prevent the formation of GON and goniosynechia. This is dictated by the dominant role of the lens mechanism in the PACD formation as it is demonstrated in the described clinical examples.

Glaucoma is a chronic disease characterized by optical neuropathy, progressive degeneration of retinal ganglion cells and nerve fiber layer, and is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. Currently, the most reliable way to achieve stable normalization of intraocular pressure is surgical treatment, and its success is measured by the duration of the hypotensive effect. However, surgical interventions do not always have a prolonged effect. One of the most drastic and effective ways of treating patients with glaucoma is surgery involving installation of a drainage implant. The use of implants in the area of surgical intervention is the most effective way to preserve the outflow routes of intraocular fluid created during antiglaucoma interventions. The use of implants is aimed at reducing excessive scarring in the filtration zone and at creating ways of resorption of intraocular fluid. In the history of glaucoma surgery, numerous designs for drainage implants have been proposed, differing from each other in material, drainage structure, implantation technique, and results. This literature review describes the types of anti-glaucoma drainage devices and their latest modifications, and presents the statistics of postoperative complications and long-term results of the use of foreign- and Russian-made implants in the treatment of glaucoma.

This review describes currently most well-known research findings dedicated to the specific features of manifestation and course of primary open-angle glaucoma with hereditary tainted history. Despite the fact that aggravated heredity has been confirmed as a risk factor for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), the information on the clinical features and progression patterns of POAG in patients with hereditary predisposition presented in the existing publications is scattered, and its availability is still limited by the amount of included material. All of this, in turn, makes it impossible to fully predict the course of the disease and to discuss the possibility of its earlier detection in that population group. The discussion presented in this work points out the type of kinship for which the risk of developing glaucoma is most relevant, as well as the supposed characteristics of the age of onset of POAG among patients with a family history of this disease. The results of the studies analyzed in this review can help actualize the viewpoint on the possible differences in clinical manifestations of the disease in patients with hereditary (familial) and sporadic forms of glaucoma, as well as on the necessity of further clinical research in this area.

Glaucoma currently ranks first among the causes of irreversible blindness and low vision. Stabilization of the glaucomatous process, especially at its initial stages, can be achieved by using drug therapy to affect the proven risk factor — the level of intraocular pressure. Taking into account the elderly and senile age of patients with glaucoma and the presence of comorbid somatic pathologies, most common being cardiovascular system diseases, the issues of interaction between local and systemic therapy in this group of patients become especially relevant. This article reviews the role of β-blockers, which are often prescribed by both ophthalmologists and therapeutic specialists, the features of their use and interaction, the decrease in intraocular pressure provided by systemic therapy, their bioavailability, and the possible undesirable side effects as a result of mixed delivery. Raising the awareness among ophthalmologists, cardiologists and general practitioners on the potential problems of co-prescribing should encourage more careful approach to reviewing patients’ history of previously prescribed topical and systemic β-blockers.