[caseylou5]

Has anyone had laser surgery for glaucoma. I have been told that I need this procedure done.

[The Great Fumar]

Originally Posted by caseylou5

Has anyone had laser surgery for glaucoma. I have been told that I need this procedure done.

Eye fluid enters your eye in one area and leaves the eye in another...sometimes the exit area gets smaller and causes the pressure to increase in your eye ......Sometimes they use a laser to open the exit and thus reduce the pressure in the eye.......apparently your eye pressure is to high .....It only takes a couple of minutes and it works very well....

I'm not a real doctor but I have played one on TV

Fumar.

[caseylou5]

Thanks for the information. I will be having this procedure very soon. I will look for you on TV!

[trichard]

My wife has had glaucoma for the past 15 years. We traveled a significant distance when we lived in the northeast to be followed by a Cleveland Clinic physician who specialized in glaucoma treatment. When we relocated to The Villages the Cleveland Clinic physician referred us to an equally qualified physician. Prior to being seen by both of these physicians a "generalist" pushed her to have laser surgery. We did not and have learned from the specialists that this surgery is effective, but can only be performed once or twice in a life time. We have pursued a course of conservative treatment. By the end of this year my wife will have laser surgery for cataracts caused by the glaucoma. This is a much different treatment than for the glaucoma. If you have the glaucoma laser surgery it is very effective. However, it cannot be performed numerous times in a life time so we have decided to hold off as long as the eye drops will control the pressures. We use three strong eye drop prescriptions each day. Costly, but so far effective.

[Mikeod]

There are two different laser surgeries done for glaucoma. A trabeculectomy is done to open drainage channels in the eye to relieve pressure. Sometimes the channels are clogged, sometimes they are just inefficient. This one is limited in the number of time it can be done. Some surgeons will do half the channel to see if they get enough improvement, then do the other half later if they don't get enough, or if the pressure rises again later.

A laser peripheral iridotomy is done to prevent acute glaucoma due to the iris itself blocking the outflow of fluid, causing the pressure to rise quickly and severely. If recommended, it should be done since acute glaucoma can blind an eye quickly unlike regular glaucoma which is slowly progressive and can be managed by surgical and pharmaceutical means.

Hope this helps.

[caseylou5]

Thank you for your reply. I had the laser surgery this week on the left eye. Next week I will have the right one done. So far - so good