Fig. 3

Filtering bleb follow-up of Phaco-ExPRESS and Phaco-Trab group. Morphology of filtering bleb of Phaco-ExPRESS at 1 month and 12 months (left). Morphology of filtering bleb after Phaco-Trab at the same time points (right). As shown in the slit-lamp photography, an anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) was taken through the white arrow line across the filtering bleb and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) scanning was taken at the highest point of filtering bleb, in which epithelium and stroma of conjunctiva, circled by red dotted line, were scanned. In both groups, microcysts (showed by white arrow) and loose connective tissue can be seen at 1 month postoperatively. However, in Phaco-ExPRESS, the height and morphology of filtering bleb under AS-OCT did not change significantly at 12 months, while Phaco-Trab demonstrated a decrease in filtering bleb height and thickening of filtering bleb wall. In Phaco-ExPRESS, the epithelial microcysts area at the same region did not change at 12 months, while epithelial microcysts in Phaco-Trab decreased significantly. Phaco-Trab showed increased epithelial hyperreflective dot (black arrows) density at 12 months while no hyperreflective dot were discovered in Phaco-ExPRESS at the same time point