Micropulse Cyclophotocoagulation Versus Ultrasound Cycloplasty In A Tertiary Eye Care Center In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

To compare the efficacy, safety and outcomes of Micropulse Cyclophotocoagulation (MP-CPC) with that of Ultrasound Cyclo-Plasty (UCP) in patients referred to a tertiary eye care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

A retrospective study was conducted on patients undergoing MP-CPC or UCP between January 2017 and October 2023. Patients lost to follow-up or with incomplete medical records were excluded. Data were collected at baseline (day 1), 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3, 6, and 12 months post-procedure. At each visit, intraocular pressure (IOP), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), medication use, and potential complications were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics.

Of 139 eyes, 65 had UCP, and 74 had MP CPC. In the UCP group, IOP dropped from 29.67±9.82 to 21.00±6.78 (24.16% reduction) at 1 year, while in the MP-CPC group, it fell from 28.44±9.46 to 20.41±8.77 (23.20% reduction). At 1 year, UCP vision was unchanged in 6 eyes (27.3%), 2 eyes (9.1%) lost 1 line, and 8 eyes (36.4%) lost ≥2 lines. Similarly, in the MP-CPC group, 24 eyes (43.6%) were unchanged, 2 eyes (3.6%) lost 1 line, and 20 eyes (36.4%) lost ≥2 lines. Qualified success rates were similar for both groups at 1 year.

Both UCP and MP-CPC are safe and effective in reducing IOP in refractory glaucoma, with similar reductions observed between the two techniques. Our study found that UCP had a comparable visual outcome and qualified success rate with MP-CPC.