Methods
R.K., EXG, POAG, Open-angle glaucoma, Glaucomatous optic nerve head, pseudo-exfoliation syndrome
OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA
The present study was approved by the institutional review board of Fukui University Hospital, Fukui, Japan, and registered by the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry of Japan (identifier University Hospital Medical Information Network; UMIN000041290; date of access and registration, 03/08/2020). Enrolled patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to undergo either KDB goniotomy or ab interno trabeculotomy with the microhook. Allocation was concealed until intervention was assigned. Sequentially numbered containers were used to perform allocation concealment. Y.T. generated the block random allocation sequence using random function. Block size was set to every four patients. K.I. and R.K. enrolled patients and Y.O. assigned the interventions. Enrolled patients were determined using the following criteria: (1) eyes with POAG or EXG. For each patient, if both eyes met the inclusion criteria, the eyes with higher IOPs were selected for the study. Open-angle glaucoma was diagnosed by an gonioscope examination. EXG was diagnosed based on a detailed slit-lamp examination and a gonioscope with the assessment of the presence or absence of clinical signs of pseudo-exfoliation syndrome: fibrillary deposits on the anterior capsule, pupillary border, iridocorneal angle, zonules or corneal endothelium and Sampaolesi line. Glaucomatous optic nerve head appears with a cup/disc ratio of ≥ 0.7, and the visual field test shows the defects at least satisfying Anderson and Patella’s criteria