Purpose: To evaluate the characteristics of glaucomatous eyes that developed corneal edema after tube-shunt surgery in patients without prior clinically diagnosed corneal edema.

Methods: 12 eyes of 12 patients who underwent tube-shunt surgery and developed clinically significant corneal edema (defined as clinically increased stromal thickness and stromal haze using the slitlamp beam) were identified and studied for multiple preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables.

Results: Of the 12 patients, 4 (33.3%) developed focal edema, 6 (50.0%) experienced diffuse edema, and 2 (16.7%) developed bullous keratopathy over a mean time interval of 2.5 + 2.2 months. The final mean IOP for eyes that had diffuse corneal edema was 13.0 + 11.5 mm Hg) compared to a mean of 22.0 + 19.6 mm Hg) for eyes that developed focal edema, and 30.0 + 14.1 for eyes that developed bullous keratopathy.

Conclusion: Tube-shunt surgery was associated with clinically recognizable corneal edema in patients in whom no prior clinically diagnosed corneal lesion was identified.