Referral for glaucoma surgery and types of surgery in different European regions in 2025, the EURACCUR study.

PURPOSE

To investigate the characteristics of referral for glaucoma surgery and compare surgical practices in various European regions in 2025.

METHODS

Data of 300 eyes of 300 consecutive patients undergoing glaucoma surgery were analysed using a standardized questionnaire and compared between geographical regions. Glaucoma specialists from one centre per country provided data on demographics, glaucoma types, intraocular pressure (IOP), visual field and structural metrics, types of surgery and referral timeliness (timely, later than optimal, late).

RESULTS

The median (quartiles) age was 72 (64-78) years. Primary open angle glaucoma (52.0%) and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (23.0%) were the most common glaucoma types. Median disease duration was 75 (28-144) months, preoperative IOP 22 (18-28) mmHg, mean deviation - 14.47 (- 21.60 to - 7.85) dB, and retinal nerve fibre layer thickness 60 (50-75) µm. Trabeculectomy (38.3%), minimally invasive bleb forming surgeries (28.3%), and drainage devices (11.3%) were the predominant procedures; 18.7% of the surgeries were combined with phacoemulsification. More severe disease was associated with filtering or drainage device surgery (p < 0.001). Referral was timely in 34.7%, later than optimal in 35.7%, and late in 29.7%. Late referrals were associated with higher IOP, more advanced MD, and thinner RNFL (p < 0.001). Regional differences were significant for common glaucoma types (p = 0.013) and surgical choice (p < 0.0001). Late and later-than-optimal referrals ranged between 22% and 38.3%, and 30.0% and 41.7% between the regions, respectively. The proportion of timely referrals in the East European region (20%) was significantly lower than that in the South and West European (approximately 40%) and North European (31.7%) regions (p = 0.019).

CONCLUSIONS

Marked differences exist in Europe in glaucoma referral timeliness and surgical practice. Late referral remains frequent and associated with advanced structural and functional damage in Europe.