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The management of coincident glaucoma and cataract is not only a common clinical challenge but also an important research topic in the ophthalmic surgical field. The purpose of this article is to compare the different surgical options on the basis of their achievable postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) control, success rates, and complication rates reported in the related literature, and to give advice on how to manage typical situations of patients with both glaucoma and cataract. Main topics were focused on indications and rationale of 3 surgical options (only cataract surgery first and later trabeculectomy, only trabeculectomy first and later cataract surgery, or simultaneous combined surgery). Modern clear corneal cataract extraction techniques resulted in a modest intermediate-term reduction of IOP and has considerably improved the success rates of combined glaucoma and cataract surgery. It also enabled future trabeculectomy to be successfully performed at a later date if necessary. Trabeculectomy alone achieved better IOP regulation than phacotrabeculectomy (combined surgery), but subsequent cataract surgery may compromise preexisting filtering bleb. Combined surgery augmented with mitomycin C achieved a lower IOP than combined surgery alone but had a higher complication rate. In conclusion, the choice of the preferred surgical method should be determined according to the target pressure, the amount of glaucomatous damage, and the grade of visual disturbance caused by the cataract. Phacotrabeculectomy with adjunctive mitomycin C offers visual improvement and achieves the best IOP lowering of all types of combined glaucoma and cataract surgery currently used but is associated with potentially sight-threatening complications.
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