ObjectiveTo compare the 1-year outcomes of trabeculotomyab externo(ab externoTLO) and trabeculotomyab internousing a microhook (ab internoTLO) for glaucoma patients using propensity score analysis.Methods and analysisThe medical charts of 65 consecutive patients who underwentab externoTLO and those of 69 patients who underwentab internoTLO were reviewed. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to calculate the propensity score using 1:1 matched analysis, which indicates the likelihood of surgical success at 12 months. We set the outcome-related covariates as age, glaucoma type, mean deviation, preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP), the number of preoperative glaucoma eye drops and the presence or absence of combined cataract surgery. Fifty eyes per each surgery group were subsequently compared.ResultsThe mean preoperative IOP was 32.5±11.2 mm Hg in theab externoTLO group and 28.4±7.8 mm Hg in theab internoTLO group (p=0.08). The mean postoperative IOP at 12 months was 18.3±7.4 mm Hg in the former group and 17.8±6.3 mm Hg in the latter (p=0.91). When surgical success was defined as a postoperative IOP of between 5 and 21 mm Hg with a more than 20% IOP reduction from baseline and no additional glaucoma surgery, the rate at 12 months was 78% in theab externoTLO group and 74% in theab internoTLO group (p=1.00).ConclusionThe 1-year success rate was not significantly different betweenab externoandab internoTLO.