Purpose: Corroborate the existence of anatomopathological alterations in conjunctiva and trabeculum from patients with Glaucoma, according to the duration and number of antiglaucoma drugs received before filtration surgery.
Methods: Specimens of conjunctiva 12(h12) and 6(h6)hours were taken from 60 eyes of 56 patients between 1997 to 2000. patients of both sex between 25 to 82 years of ages receive a mean of 2,3 drugs (range 2 to 4 drugs) for Glaucoma treatment for at least 1 year. (range 1 to 15 years). Optic microscopy were performed in the 60 specimens of conjunctiva h12, h6 and trabeculum.
Results: Specimens of 38 man and 22 women showed in 85% an active and chronic inflammation in h12 conjunctiva characterised by abundant caliciforms cell at epithelial layer, corion oedema and moderate to intense infiltration of mononuclear and polymorphonuclears leukocytes. 15% of the specimens showed non specific acute conjunctivitis. H6 conjunctivas, 72% had moderate conjunctivitis, 20% active chronic conjunctivitis and 8% non significative inflammatory infiltration. patiens under treatment with 2 or more drugs for more than 3 years showed the most significative anatomopathological changes.
Conclusions: This study confirmed the existence of histopathological changes on conjunctiva h12, h6 and trabecular meshwork in patients under antiglaucomatous topical treatment with 2 or more drugs and a period over than a year.