Aims-Intractable glaucoma is glaucoma resistant to medical therapy and conventional surgical procedures. In this study, a planned surgical technique is discussed for controlling the increased intraocular pressure in selected cases with intractable glaucoma. Methods-Total pars plana vitrectomy with pars plana tube implantation was performed in 17 eyes of 17 cases with intractable glaucoma. Patients with neovascular glaucoma were not included in this study. The mean age of these patients (seven men, 10 women) was 44.6 (SD 22.1) years and mean follow up period was 30.3 (15.5) months (range 4-71). Drainage implants with a disc were used in 16 cases, whereas, a tube with scleral buckle (Schocket surgery) was preferred in one case. An intraocular pressure below or equal to 20 mm Hg without any adjunctive medication or with only one type of antiglaucomatous drop was considered as an adequate operative outcome. Results-16 out of 17 eyes maintained adequate pressure control. Only three out of these 16 eyes required prophylactic antiglaucomatous medications. One patient underwent reoperation for pressure control. The most severe complications observed postoperatively were intravitreal haemorrhage (one case), choroidal detachment (one case), implant failure (one case), total retinal detachment (two cases), and corneal endothelial decompensation (five cases). Conclusion-Pars plana placement of drainage tube following pars plana vitrectomy should be considered as an alternative method for controlling increased intraocular pressures in selected patients with intractable glaucoma. (Br J Ophthalmol 1998;82:1377-1382

A technique is described in which a posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) is implanted in eyes with partial loss of posterior capsule or zonular support. The IOL's inferior haptic is placed over the residual capsule and the superior haptic is fixated to the ciliary sulcus with a polypropylene suture. In 17 eyes that had surgery using this technique, mean postoperative visual acuity was 20/25; complications included irregular pupil, iris capture, pupil block, hyphema, localized peripheral anterior synechia, IOL tilt, suture exposure, and cystoid macular edema.

* BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome of simple excision with preserved human amniotic membrane transplantation in the treatment of primary pterygium. * PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 59 eyes with primary pterygium underwent surgical excision. In Group 1 , 28 eyes were treated with simple excision and preserved human amniotic membrane transplantation. In Group 2, 3 1 eyes were treated with bare sclera excision. These two groups were compared in recurrence, final appearance of the operation site, and complications. Patients were followed for at least 10 months. * RESULTS: During a mean follow up of 14.9 months, we observed 3 (10.7%) recurrences in Group 1 and 20 (38.7%) recurrences in Group 2 (P:0.03). In Group 1, 20 (71.4%) eyes and 14 (45.2%) eyes in Group 2 had a satisfactory final operation site appearance (P:0.04l). No serious complication was observed in both groups. * CONCLUSION: Simple excision and preserved human amniotic membrane transplantation appears to be a safe and effective way of treating primary pterygium because of the lack of serious complications and a relatively low rate of recurrence. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers 2001;32:464-469]