Efficacy and safety of ultrasound cycloplasty for the treatment of glaucoma: a Meta-analysis

·AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ultrasound cycloplasty(UCP) for glaucoma.·METHODS: A comprehensive search of Pub Med, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases was used to select studies met the inclusion criteria. Metaanalysis was performed by Review Manager and Stata Corp LLC.·RESULTS: A total of 19 articles met the inclusion criteria. Overall, UCP is effective and safe in the glaucoma treatment, the risk ratio(RR) of the success rate was 2.28(95%CI, 1.82-2.84). After UCP, patients had a significant reduction in intraocular pressure(IOP; mm Hg), the weighted mean difference(WMD) was 11.39(95%CI, 9.88-12.90). In addition, UCP brings fewer postoperative complications with RR of 0.30(95%CI, 0.19-0.49). Most of the complications were short-term and mild. Postoperatively, patients’ use of IOP-lowering medications reduced, the standardized mean difference(SMD) was 0.78(95%CI, 0.40-1.17). However, best corrected visual acuity(BCVA; log MAR) did not have obvious improvement after UCP, the WMD was 0.01(95%CI,-0.06-0.09). This procedure does provide painfulness relief, with RR of 3.06(95%CI, 1.95-4.81).·CONCLUSION: UCP is effective and safe for suitable glaucoma. It can effectively decrease IOP in glaucoma patients, reduce the patients’ dependence on IOP-lowering medications after surgery, relief the painfulness and has fewer long-term or severe postoperative complications, but the BCVA did not improve much.