Safety and Efficacy of Ab Interno XEN 45 Gel Stent in Patients with Glaucoma and High Myopia

This study reports on the safety and efficacy of Xen 45 in patients with glaucoma and high myopia. It was a retrospective study including patients with high myopia (>6D) who underwent Xen implant with 2 years of follow-up. The primary outcome was to report the incidence of hypotony (IOP <= 5 mmHg) and hypotony-related complications. Patients with high myopia treated with mitomycin-C-augmented trabeculectomy were included as a control group. We included 14 consecutive patients who underwent Xen implant (seven eyes) and trabeculectomy (seven eyes). The mean myopia was -14.71 +/- 5.36 and -15.07 +/- 6.11 in the trabeculectomy and Xen groups, respectively (p > 0.05). The success rate and the mean IOP at 1 and 2 years from the intervention were statistically comparable between the two groups. The group undergoing trabeculectomy showed a higher incidence of hypotony (six eyes (85.71%) vs. two eyes (28.57%)) and hypotony maculopathy (three eyes (42.86%) vs. zero eyes (0%)) and required more postoperative procedures. Patients with high myopia were at higher risk of hypotony-related complications after trabeculectomy. The Xen implant can achieve an IOP control comparable to trabeculectomy with a significantly better safety profile and can be considered as an option for the management of patients with high myopia and glaucoma.