If you have both glaucoma and cataracts, you might face a tough choice: treat one condition now and the other later, or do both at once. A new analysis of 14 clinical trials suggests that combining cataract surgery with a procedure to lower eye pressure may be the smarter move.
The meta-analysis looked at patients with primary glaucoma and cataracts. Those who had combined phacoemulsification (cataract removal) plus an angle filtering procedure saw their eye pressure drop nearly 2 mmHg more than those who had cataract surgery alone. They also needed fewer glaucoma medications afterward.
There's a trade-off: the combined surgery came with a higher rate of complications. And while it improved vision, the gain was slightly less than with cataract surgery alone in one subgroup. Still, for many patients, the better pressure control could mean less reliance on drops and a lower risk of glaucoma progression.
This isn't a one-size-fits-all answer. The analysis pooled data from multiple studies, and individual results may vary. Talk to your eye doctor about whether the combined approach is right for you.