To evaluate long-term change in intraocular pressure (IOP) in eyes undergoing laser iridotomy (LI) and early phacoemulsification after LI in patients with acute angle-closure glaucoma (AACG).

The retrospective, comparative chart review included patients with AACG, Group A who underwent only LI and Group B who underwent early phacoemulsification within 1 month after LI. Patients were followed up on day 1; week 1; and months 1, 3, 6, and 12 after LI. IOP changes were studied.

This study included a total 99 eyes from 99 patients, 37 in group A and 62 in group B. The mean IOP were not significantly different between the two groups at the initial visit or 1 month later. However, group B showed a consistently lower mean IOP that that of group A at 3, 6, and 12 months ( p = 0.003, <0.001, <0.001, respectively). The prevalence of IOP increase to greater than 21 mmHg was 3 (8.11%), 5 (13.51%), and 5 patients (13.51%) in group A and 0, 2 (5.41%), and 1 patients (1.61%) in group B at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Group B showed a significantly lower prevalence of IOP increase ( p = 0.050, 0.038, 0.026).

We found that patients treated with early phacoemulsification after LI had better outcomes of well-maintained IOP compared to those undergoing LI alone. For AACG patients with coexisting cataract, early phacoemulsification after LI can be considered as a reasonable treatment to maintain IOP.