Two stents combined with cataract surgery had better outcomes than cataract surgery alone in open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension patients, a study found.

"Compared with cataract surgery alone, implantation of the iStent concomitant with cataract extraction significantly increased trabecular outflow facility, reduced IOP and reduced the number of medications at 1 year. Longer follow-up is needed to assess the long-term effect on outflow facility," study authors said.

The prospective, randomized clinical study examined 33 eyes of 33 open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension patients undergoing cataract surgery. Seventeen patients randomized to group 1 received two iStents (Glaukos) combined with cataract surgery, while the 16 patients in group 2 received cataract surgery alone.

The study looked at aqueous flow and trabecular outflow facility with fluorophotometry, both preoperatively and postoperatively, at months 1, 6 and 12.

Aqueous flow was similar for both groups before and after surgery. Trabecular outflow facility was also similar in both groups prior to surgery, but after surgery, it increased in both groups.

In group 1, mean IOP reduction was 6.6 ± 3.0 mm Hg, compared to 3.9 ± 2.7 mm Hg in group 2. Mean medication amount was significantly lower in group 1, at 0, than group 2, at 0.7 ± 1.0.