Adherence of glaucoma intervention studies to World Glaucoma Association guidelines.
Andrea Servillo, Carlo Alberto Cutolo, Chiara Viganò et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review assessed how well published glaucoma surgical and laser studies followed World Glaucoma Association (WGA) reporting guidelines. It included 256 randomised, non-randomised comparative and prospective observational studies published from 2010 to 2023. Mean overall adherence was 47% ± 9.2%, with the lowest domain score for defining success (30% ± 13%). Visual field progression was reported in only 3% of studies. Adherence was lower for angle-closure cataract surgery and laser trabeculoplasty than for trabeculectomy, while MIGS studies showed no significant difference.
Key findings
- Mean overall adherence to WGA reporting guidelines was 47% ± 9.2% across 256 studies.
- Adherence was lowest for defining success (30% ± 13%) and highest for ethics (61% ± 20%).
- Visual field progression was reported in only 3% of studies; anatomical outcomes were reported in 0%-24%.
- Adherence was lower for angle-closure cataract surgery (est. = -10% [-19%, -2.2%], p = 0.014) and laser trabeculoplasty (est. = -7.1% [-11%, -3.5%], p < 0.001) than for trabeculectomy.
Why it matters
Incomplete and inconsistent reporting makes it harder to compare glaucoma interventions and interpret their benefits and harms. The particularly low reporting of success definitions and visual field progression highlights gaps in outcomes relevant to assessing disease control. More consistent reporting could improve the usefulness of published evidence for clinical interpretation and future research.
What to keep in mind
The review included studies with more than 100 eyes and published from 2010 to 2023, so its findings may not represent smaller studies or other periods.