GLAUCOMA 1, OPEN ANGLE, D (Disorder)

This is a research study to find out if removing the ripcord from a glaucoma drainage device more than 3 months after it has been placed has any effect on intraocular pressure. Participation in research studies is voluntary. The ripcord will be removed at a routine glaucoma care visit and intraocular pressure will be measured before removal, 30 minutes following, and at 1 week, 6 weeks and 3-month intervals during regular clinic visits.

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible vision loss worldwide. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is the most important risk factor for the development and progression of the disease. Ab-interno trabeculotomy (AIT) using the Trabectome system is a minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) that reduces aqueous humor outflow resistance by ablating the trabecular meshwork and the inner wall of Schlemm's canal, thereby lowering intraocular pressure. Previous studies have demonstrated good short-term efficacy of this procedure. However, robust long-term data spanning several years remain scarce. The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term outcomes of AIT in glaucoma patients who underwent surgery between 2019 and 2021 at the Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Würzburg. Patients are invited for a single study visit at which intraocular pressure, visual acuity, anterior chamber angle by gonioscopy, and optic nerve structure by optical coherence tomography (OCT) are assessed. The collected data are compared with pre-operative baseline values obtained from medical records. The results are intended to improve the assessment of long-term surgical success and to optimize patient selection for this procedure in the future.

The goal of this randomized controlled clinical trial is to learn whether two minimally invasive bleb-forming glaucoma implants can effectively treat adult patients with open-angle glaucoma who require surgical lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP). Specifically, the study evaluates whether the PRESERFLO™ MicroShunt is at least as effective as the XEN®-63 Gel Stent in reducing IOP after surgery.  The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the PRESERFLO™ MicroShunt provide IOP reduction at 12 months that is non-inferior to the XEN®-63 Gel Stent? * How do the two devices compare over 24 months with respect to medication reduction, need for additional glaucoma procedures, complications, and preservation of visual function and ocular structures? Participants will: * Be randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either the XEN®-63 Gel Stent or the PRESERFLO™ MicroShunt during a single glaucoma surgery. * Attend scheduled follow-up visits over 24 months for eye-pressure measurements, vision testing, visual-field testing, OCT imaging, endothelial-cell counts, and safety assessments. * Receive standard postoperative care and report any complications or additional treatments during the study period.

The goal of this randomized controlled clinical trial is to learn whether two minimally invasive bleb-forming glaucoma implants can effectively treat adult patients with open-angle glaucoma who require surgical lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP). Specifically, the study evaluates whether the PRESERFLO™ MicroShunt is at least as effective as the trabeculectomy in reducing IOP after surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the PRESERFLO™ MicroShunt provide IOP reduction at 12 months that is non-inferior to trabeculectomy? How do these two surgeries compare over 12 months with respect to medication reduction, need for additional glaucoma procedures, complications, and preservation of visual function and ocular structures? Participants will: Be randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either the trabeculectomy or the PRESERFLO™ MicroShunt during a single glaucoma surgery. Attend scheduled follow-up visits over 12 months for eye-pressure measurements, vision testing, visual-field testing, OCT imaging, endothelial-cell counts, and safety assessments. Receive standard postoperative care and report any complications or additional treatments during the study period.

Cataract is the leading cause of reversible vision loss, while glaucoma remains the primary cause of irreversible blindness, often impairing contrast sensitivity (CS), glare tolerance, and dark adaptation. These visual challenges are particularly relevant when selecting intraocular lenses (IOLs) for glaucoma patients undergoing cataract surgery. Monofocal IOLs are the safest and most commonly used option for glaucoma patients due to their optical simplicity and low incidence of photic phenomena, though they do not provide spectacle independence for near or intermediate vision. Multifocal IOLs (MFIOLs), while offering greater spectacle independence, are relatively contraindicated in glaucoma due to increased visual disturbances like glare and halos. Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) IOLs offer an intermediate solution, using advanced optics to provide a continuous range of vision and fewer photic disturbances than MFIOLs. EDOF lenses have demonstrated good uncorrected distance and intermediate visual acuity in patients with mild to moderate glaucoma, with promising CS outcomes and high patient satisfaction. However, findings on CS performance remain inconsistent across studies. Given these considerations, this study seeks to determine whether EDOF IOLs can be a viable alternative to monofocal lenses in glaucoma patients, potentially expanding their options for spectacle independence without compromising visual quality. The trial, conducted at OMIQ (Barcelona), will directly compare an EDOF IOL and a monofocal IOL made from the same material to assess their effects on visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and photic phenomena in this specific patient population.