Andrea jacob's blog : Surgical Methods for Treating Glaucoma

Glaucoma is when excess pressure is built up inside the eye, and consequently, the fluid cannot drain out the way it normally should. This damages the optic nerve inside the eye and harms the patient’s vision. The method to cure this is Glaucoma Treatment. Ophthalmologist usually does not prescribe surgery as the first treatment for Glaucoma, but surgery may be able to save the patient's eyesight if other methods do not work. With the help of this article you will get full info about Glaucoma Treatment & Eye Surgery.

Doctors would first try to treat the condition with drops and medications, but surgery is the only resort left if those treatments do not work. Sometimes the prescribed medications also lead to other serious conditions in the patient’s body; surgery is the only option left. Also, if the case is quite severe, the doctors opt for the surgical method immediately.

Initially, laser surgery is tried. Laser surgery is quick and less invasive. With the help of laser-clogged tubes, the accumulated fluid is drained. Some of the common laser surgeries are:

•   Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT): This is a very efficient surgery, and it works by opening the clogs in the patient’s eyes, helping the fluid drain out.

•   Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT): If the ALT is not productive, the doctor may move on to this surgery. Here low-level laser is targeted at the exact spot where the clog has occurred. The doctor may often try SLT right at the first step, as it is more precise.

•   Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI): Narrow-angle Glaucoma can develop when the space between the iris and the cornea of the patient’s eye is too small. This surgery creates a tiny hole in the iris using a laser, through which the extra fluid is drained out, and pressure on the patient’s eye is relieved.

•   Cyclophotocoagulation: If all the other treatments and surgery fail, the doctor may adopt this mode of treatment. A laser beam is directed inside the eye at a structure to ease the pressure. This is not a one-time cure; the patient must repeat this over time to keep the Glaucoma in check.

After the treatment, the eyesight is a little blurry, and the eye feels sore. The doctor checks the eye pressure after a couple of hours, and if everything is okay, the patient is free to go. The patient is advised to rest at home for a week after the surgery.

If the laser surgery does not cure the patient, more traditional surgeries need to be adopted, some of which are Trabeculectomy, Drainage Implant Surgery, Electrocautery, etc. Glaucoma surgery heightens the chances of the patient contracting cataracts later on. Other possible risks are loss of vision, infection, inflammation, and bleeding.

The patient must understand that the surgical methods for curing Glaucoma do not recover the patient their lost eyesight. The patient who has undergone glaucoma surgery must be under constant medication and have regular check-ups.