The electrocautery sclerocorneal puncture in the treatment of the glaucomas

Abstract

This paper was read at the 53rd Annual meeting of the Societa` Oftalmologica Italiana held on the 26th-29th September, 1971. A survey covering a ten year period of cases of glaucoma operated upon by means of the sclerocorneal, electrocautery puncture is presented. One hundred and fifteen eyes with chronic open angle glaucoma were operated upon at St. Luke`s Hospital Malta during the period 1960-1970. All these cases presented extensive field losses and deep cupping. Surgery was resorted to because of continuous field loss in spite of medical treatment. A considerable number of cases operated upon for chronic open angle glaucoma and acute glaucoma were suffering from diabetes mellitus. In no case was any sign ever found of proliferative retinopathy. The main advantages of the use of electrocautery are the simplicity of the technique and the absence of any complications. The results were very satisfactory.