Phacoemulsification vs Phacotrabeculectomy in Primary Angle-closure Glaucoma Patients with Cataracts: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

IntroductIonGlaucoma and cataracts remain the most common causes and frequently lead to blindness.[1][2][3] It is believed that up to 10% of elderly cataract patients suffer from ocular hypertension or glaucoma.4,5 According to Kingman in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 1 with more than 67 million people in the world affected and 10% estimated to be blind, a significant share of global blindness is attributed to glaucoma, which continues to be a major cause of irreversible vision loss. 1 In 2040, the population of people burdened by the disease would reach 111.8 million, projected since by 2020 the number is estimated to be 78 million people worldwide.6Glaucoma requires effective treatment to control intraocular pressure (IOP) and prevent visual impairment, and if not treated quickly, it can lead to permanent blindness.7 To specify, primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) affects roughly 25 million individuals worldwide, a figure projected to rise to about 34 million by 2040.