Supraciliochoroidal fluid in the eyes indicates good intraocular pressure control despite absence of obvious filtering bleb after trabeculectomy.

Purpose

To examine the presence of supraciliochoroidal fluid (SCF) by ultrasound biomicroscopy in posttrabeculectomy eyes that show good intraocular pressure (IOP) control despite the absence of an obvious filtering bleb.

Patients and methods: Eyes were selected retrospectively according to the following criteria: IOP < 15 mm Hg, no antiglaucoma medication, no filtering bleb or a flattened bleb without microcystic spaces, and no ophthalmoscopic choroidal detachment after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C. The SCF was examined using 50-MHz ultrasound biomicroscopy (Zeiss-Humphrey).

Results

Ultrasound biomicroscopy detected SCF in five (63%) of eight eyes that met the study criteria. The extent of SCF in two of the eyes was four quadrants and one or two quadrants in three eyes.

Conclusion

The presence of the SCF may explain increased uveoscleral outflow and may represent an IOP-lowering mechanism after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C, especially when IOP control is good and a filtering bleb is not obvious.