Trabeculectomy (also called “glaucoma filtration surgery”) is eye surgery that treats glaucoma.
With glaucoma, fluid called aqueous humor does not drain properly from the front of the eye.
Pressure builds in the eye, which damages the optic nerve. If it is not treated, glaucoma leads
to blindness. Sometimes eyedrop medications and laser treatment do not lower eye pressure enough. That is when your ophthalmologist may recommend surgery.
Trabeculectomy creates a new way for aqueous humor to drain from the eye. This helps reduce eye pressure.
No treatment can fix damage already done to the optic nerve. But trabeculectomy can help prevent further damage from glaucoma.
Trabeculectomy is done in an outpatient surgery center or a hospital. The procedure usually takes about an hour or less. Here is what happens:
Like any surgery, trabeculectomy has risks of problems or complications. Here are some of those risks:
Tell your ophthalmologist if you take aspirin or blood thinners. These can lead to bleeding problems with surgery.
Call your ophthalmologist immediately if your eye is red, painful or just does not feel right.
This could be a sign of infection and it must be treated right away. With a bleb in your eye, you will always have a higher risk of damage from eye infections. Your ophthalmologist will talk with you about the risks and benefits of trabeculectomy for your glaucoma.
Laser trabeculoplasty is done in an outpatient surgery center or your ophthalmologist’s office. Your eye surgeon uses laser energy to treat your drainage angle. This makes the drainage angle work better over time, helping to lower eye pressure.
Laser trabeculoplasty usually takes less than 10 minutes. Here is what happens:
It can take from about 6–8 weeks for laser trabeculoplasty to fully lower your eye pressure. Three months after this surgery, if your pressure is still too high, you may need more treatment. Your ophthalmologist might recommend another laser surgery, more eye-drop medication or another type of eye surgery.
Like any surgery, laser trabeculoplasty carries risks. Fortunately, problems or complications are uncommon. Here are some of those risks.
Your ophthalmologist will talk with you about the risks and benefits of laser trabeculoplasty.
Laser iridotomy is a type of eye surgery that treats angle-closure glaucoma. Angle-closure glaucoma is when the iris blocks fluid (called aqueous) from leaving the front of the eye as it should. Pressure in the eye rises very quickly and the optic nerve is damaged. This is a serious problem that can cause blindness. Laser iridotomy helps fluid drain properly again, lowering your eye pressure.
Laser iridotomy is also used to prevent angle- closure glaucoma in people who are at risk for having this problem. Those people have what is called a “narrow angle.”
If the iris suddenly blocks the drainage angle, it is called an attack of acute angle-closure glaucoma. Symptoms of an attack include:
An acute angle-closure glaucoma attack is an emergency. It must be treated quickly to prevent loss of vision. If you have these symptoms, call an ophthalmologist right away or go to a hospital emergency room.
Some people do not have symptoms with their closed-angle glaucoma, but high pressure is still damaging the optic nerve. This is called chronic angle-closure glaucoma. This condition often requires surgery. Ophthalmologists know that reducing eye pressure as soon as possible can save your vision.
Laser iridotomy only takes a few minutes. Here is what happens:
Like any surgery, laser iridotomy carries risks. Fortunately, problems or complications are uncommon. Risks may include:
Glaucoma drainage implant surgery is done in an outpatient surgery center or a hospital. The procedure usually takes about an hour or less.
Here is what happens:
Like any surgery, glaucoma drainage implants carry the risk of problems or complications. Here are some of those risks:
Tell your ophthalmologist if you take aspirin or blood thinners. These can increase your risk of bleeding problems with surgery.
Call your ophthalmologist immediately if your eye is red, painful or just does not feel right.
This could be a sign of infection and it must be treated right away.
Your ophthalmologist will talk with you about the risks and benefits of a drainage implant for your glaucoma.
