Glaucoma Surgery

Glaucoma Surgery - Overview

Glaucoma surgery procedures are intended to achieve one of two basic results: decrease the production of intraocular fluid or increase the outflow (drainage) of this same fluid. Without treatment, glaucoma can also result in total permanent blindness within a few years.

Most people with glaucoma experience no early symptoms or pain. A patient needs to see an eye doctor regularly so he/she can diagnose and treat glaucoma before a long-term visual loss happens.

If you’re above 40 years and have a family history of the disease, you should get a complete eye test from an eye doctor every 1 to 2 years. If you have any health problems like diabetes or a family history of glaucoma or you are at a risk for other eye diseases, you may need to go more often.

Glaucoma Surgery - Symptoms

Some of the usual signs and symptoms of primary open-angle glaucoma and acute angle-closure glaucoma are quite different:

Symptoms of primary open-angle glaucoma

Peripheral vision is gradually lost. This nearly always affects both eyes.
In developed stages, the patient has tunnel vision.

Symptoms of closed-angle glaucoma

Severe Eye pain.
Blurred vision.
Eye pain may cause nausea and sometimes vomiting.
Lights appear to have more halo-like glows around them.
Red eyes.
Sudden, unexpected problems in vision, especially when the lighting is poor.

Glaucoma Surgery - Pre-Procedure

Before the surgery, your eye doctor will use drops to open usually called dilate in your pupils. Then he/she will test your vision and examine your eyes. Your doctor will check your optic nerve, and if you have glaucoma, it will look a certain way. He/She may take pictures of the nerve to help track your disease over time. Your doctor will do a test called tonometry to check your eye pressure and will also do a visual field test, if necessary, to figure out if you’ve lost your side, or peripheral, vision. Glaucoma tests are generally painless and take very little time.

Glaucoma Surgery - During Procedure

If any drugs given by your doctor don’t work, or if the patient cannot bear them, surgical intervention may be the last option. The aim of a Glaucoma surgery is usually to bring down the pressure inside the eye. Examples of surgery include:

Trabeculoplasty – In this surgery laser beam is used to unblock clogged drainage canals, to make it easier for the fluid inside the eye to drain out.
Filtering surgery (viscocanalostomy) – this surgery might be carried out if nothing else works, including laser surgery. Channels inside the eye are opened up to improve fluid drainage.

Drainage implant (aqueous shunt implant) – this surgery option is sometimes used for children or those with secondary glaucoma. In this, surgery a small silicone tube is inserted into the eye to help it drain out fluids better.

Glaucoma Surgery - Post-Procedure

Post Glaucoma surgery, you’ll need to see your doctor for regular follow-up exams. And you may also require undergoing additional procedures if your eye pressure begins to rise or other changes occur in your eye.

Glaucoma Surgery - Risk & Complications

There are risks associated with any type of surgery, and the risks for glaucoma surgery include:

Vision Loss
Bleeding
Infection
Low Eye Pressure
Scarring
Cataract

However, glaucoma surgery is usually very successful at substantially slowing the progression of glaucoma and achieving the planned eye pressure. Furthermore, if glaucoma is inadequately treated, it is almost certain that vision will be lost.

Glaucoma Surgery - Doctors

Dr. Carreen Pakrasi

D. (Ophthalmology), MBBS, MD

Ophthalmology

7 Years of Experience
Dr. Sunaina Arora

MBBS, MD - Ophthalmology Senior Consultant – Ophthalmology

18 Years of Experience