The risk factors of shallow anterior chamber after choroidal detachment in glaucoma patients with intraocular surgery.

Purpose: To determine the risk factors and clinical characteristics of shallow anterior chamber (AC) following choroidal detachment.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study. The data of glaucoma patients undergoing intraocular surgery were collected. Based on clinical documentation, patients were categorized based on the presence or absence of a shallow AC after choroidal detachment. Clinical characteristics of eyes that developed a shallow AC were compared to those of controls that had a large AC depth (ACD) after choroidal detachment.

Results: Among 3,492 eyes undergoing intraocular surgery, 99 eyes (2.84%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.28%-3.39%) developed a documented choroidal detachment; 77 eyes met the inclusion criteria, with 52 exhibiting shallow AC and 25 maintaining deep AC. The preoperative ACD was notably deeper in the deep AC group (2.96 ± 0.28 mm) compared to the shallow AC group (2.55 ± 0.59 mm) (P = 0.002). Additionally, the deep AC group had a wider preoperative AC width (ACW) (11.95 ± 0.42 mm) than the shallow AC group (10.92 ± 0.35 mm) (P < 0.001). The shallow AC group was more likely to be phakic (94.2% vs. 76.0%, P = 0.02), more likely to have angle-closure glaucoma (51.9% vs. 28%, P = 0.048), and more likely to have undergone external filtration surgery (96.2% vs. 80%, P = 0.033). Multivariate analysis identified only ACW (odds ratio = 0.56 per 0.1 mm increase, 95% CI: 0.41%-0.75%, P < 0.001) as significantly associated with a shallow AC.

Conclusion: The incidence of choroidal detachment post-intraocular surgery was 2.84%. Smaller ACW was the primary risk factor for shallow AC after choroidal detachment, warranting preoperative measurement and tailored surgical planning for high-risk eyes.