Glaucoma is an eye problem. It happens when the eye has too much pressure. This can hurt your eyes and make you lose your sight. Some people need surgery to help with this.

But what is the success rate of glaucoma surgery? This article will talk about the answer and how surgery can help people with glaucoma.

What Is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is an eye disease that happens when intraocular pressure (IOP) gets too high. This pressure can hurt important parts of your eye. If the pressure stays high for too long, it can cause damage. Over time, glaucoma can make you lose some or even all your sight.

Our eyes need a certain amount of pressure to stay healthy, but too much pressure is bad. High eye pressure can squeeze the optic nerve, which helps you see. When the optic nerve is damaged, it can’t send clear signals to the brain, making it hard to see well.

Types Of Glaucoma

There are different types of glaucoma. Each type affects the eyes differently, and some need faster treatment than others. Let’s look at the main types of glaucoma.

Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

This is the most common type of glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma happens when the fluid in the eye doesn’t drain as it should. This causes the pressure in the eye to rise slowly over time. Open-angle glaucoma usually doesn’t cause much pain, so many glaucoma patients don’t know they have it. It often takes years before people notice any changes in their vision.

Angle-Closure Glaucoma

Angle-closure glaucoma happens when the drainage part of the eye gets blocked. This causes eye pressure to rise very quickly, which can cause pain, blurry vision, or even nausea. This type of glaucoma is serious and needs fast treatment because it can lead to vision loss quickly.

Normal-Tension Glaucoma

With normal-tension glaucoma, eye pressure is normal. But the optic nerve still gets damaged. Doctors are not sure why this happens. It may be because the optic nerve is more sensitive or because blood flow to the eye is not as strong. Even though the pressure isn’t high, this type can still cause vision loss over time.

Congenital Glaucoma

Congenital glaucoma is rare and happens in babies or very young children. Some children are born with a problem in the eye that stops it from draining fluid well. This can make the eye pressure too high. Babies with this type may have watery or cloudy eyes or squint in bright light. This type of glaucoma needs treatment as early as possible to help protect the child’s vision.

Secondary Glaucoma

Secondary glaucoma is caused by something else, like an injury or infection. It can also happen after certain surgeries. This type of glaucoma can happen to anyone at any age. Treating the other problem may lower eye pressure. Yet, extra treatment may be necessary.

How Can Surgery Help?

Surgery helps with IOP reduction. In turn, this keeps the eye in good condition and stops the nerve from getting hurt.

Different types of surgery can help lower the pressure in your eye. Which surgery you need depends on how bad your glaucoma is.

Laser Eye Surgery For Glaucoma

Laser therapy can help people with glaucoma by lowering the pressure inside the eye. This surgery uses a focused light to make small changes in the eye. These changes help the fluid inside the eye drain out better. When fluid flows out, the pressure goes down, and this can protect the eye from more damage.

There are many kinds of laser surgeries for glaucoma, and each one works a little differently. Some people may need one type of laser surgery, while others may need a different kind. It all depends on the type of glaucoma and the high eye pressure.

One newer option is called Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery, or MIGS. MIGS is a type of laser surgery that makes small changes in the eye. This kind of surgery is less invasive, meaning it is gentle on the eye and often has a quicker recovery time. MIGS helps the fluid drain better and is used to lower eye pressure in people with glaucoma. Many people like MIGS because it is accurate and often does not take long to recover from.

Laser eye surgery, including MIGS, is a good choice for many people with glaucoma. It is often done right in the doctor’s office; many people can go home the same day. After the surgery, the doctor may give you eye drops to help the eye heal and keep the pressure low.

What To Expect After Laser Surgery

After laser eye surgery, most people can go home the same day. The doctor may give you eye drops or glaucoma medications to use for a few days. Your eye may feel a bit sore, and you might have blurry vision for a short time. It’s important to go to follow-up visits to check that the surgery worked well and that your eye pressure is lower.

How Well Does Laser Surgery Work?

Laser surgery can help many people with glaucoma, but it doesn’t work for everyone. Some people may need more treatments or other types of surgery later on. Laser surgery is a good option for many to lower eye pressure and help protect vision.

Success Rate Of Glaucoma Surgery

How well glaucoma surgery works depends on many things. Most surgeries lower eye pressure. Some surgeries have a success rate of 70–90%. This means people may get good results from their surgery, and have their eye pressure go down.

Factors That Influence The Success Rate Of Glaucoma Surgery

The success of glaucoma surgery can depend on a few different things. Here are some of the most important factors:

Type Of Glaucoma

The type of glaucoma you have can affect how well the surgery works. People with open-angle glaucoma may have different results from those with angle-closure glaucoma. The surgery may work better for some types of glaucoma than others.

Stage Of Glaucoma

If you find out about glaucoma early, the surgery may be more successful. Early treatment can help protect your vision. If it’s advanced glaucoma, it might be harder to lower the eye pressure and keep the eye healthy.

Eye Pressure Before Surgery

The amount of pressure in your eye before surgery can also affect the results. High eye pressure before surgery may lead to different results from low eye pressure.

Other Health Problems

If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, it may make it harder for your eye to heal after surgery. These health problems can also affect how well the surgery works.

The Surgery Type

The type of surgery you have can change how well it works. Some surgeries are more successful than others for different people. The surgeon will help you decide which type is best for you.

Post-Surgery Care

After surgery, it’s very important to follow your doctor’s advice. This may include using eye drops, avoiding certain activities, and attending follow-up appointments. Doing these things can help make sure your surgery is successful.

These factors all play a part in how well glaucoma surgery works for you. Your doctor will talk to you to help you understand the chances of success of your surgery.

 

 

Risks Of Glaucoma Surgeries

Like any surgical treatment, glaucoma surgeries have some risks. These risks are not very common, but it’s important to know about them. Here are some of the possible risks of glaucoma surgery:

Infection

Infection is a risk after any surgery. After glaucoma surgery, your eye may get infected if germs get inside. This can make your eye red, swollen, or painful. Your doctor will give you medicine to help prevent infections.

Bleeding

Sometimes, there may be bleeding in or around the eye after surgery. This is not very common, but it can happen. If bleeding happens, your doctor will treat it.

Low Eye Pressure

Some people may have too low eye pressure after surgery. This can cause blurry vision or other problems. If this happens, the doctor will check and help raise the pressure to a good level.

High Eye Pressure

Sometimes, the surgery may not lower the eye pressure enough. This means the pressure could stay high, harming the eye. You may need extra treatment, like eye drops, to help lower the pressure.

Vision Changes

After surgery, your vision may change. Some people may see things blurry or have problems seeing well at night. In rare cases, some people may lose vision. Your doctor will help make sure your vision stays as good as possible.

Scarring

In some cases, the surgery can cause scars in the eye. Scarring can make it harder for the eye to drain fluid, which could raise the pressure again. If this happens, more treatment may be necessary.

Need For More Medical Therapy

Sometimes, the first surgery doesn’t manage the problem. So, you may need a surgical procedure called revision surgery. This is not very common, but it can happen if the first surgery does not work as planned.

Your doctor will talk to you about these risks and help you keep your eye healthy after surgery. They will also guide you on how to reduce the chance of problems happening.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to recover after glaucoma surgery?

Recovery time can be different for each person, but most people feel better in a few days or weeks. Your doctor will give you instructions on how to care for your eye during recovery.

Will I still need to take eye drops after glaucoma surgery?

You may still need to use eye drops after surgery to keep your eye pressure at a good level. Your doctor will tell you if you need to keep using them.

Can glaucoma surgery restore my lost vision?

Glaucoma surgery may prevent vision loss but cannot restore lost vision. It’s important to catch glaucoma early to protect your vision.

How can I know if glaucoma surgery is right for me?

Your doctor will talk to you about your health and treatments to help you decide if surgery is the best option. They will work with you to find the right plan to protect your vision.

How is glaucoma surgery done?

The doctor will use a laser to make changes inside your eye to help lower pressure. You will be awake during most surgeries, but your eye will be numbed, so you don’t feel much pain.

Closing Remarks

The success rate of glaucoma surgery depends on the surgery and how bad your glaucoma is. Surgery can help lower the pressure in your eye and help protect your sight. Talk to your doctor to find out the best surgery for you. With the right surgery, you can keep your eyes healthy.

If you have any questions or want to know more about glaucoma surgery, we are here in Melbourne to help! Our friendly team is ready to talk to you.

Call Eye Laser Specialists at 03 9070 5788 or 03 9070 0910 to make an appointment. We are excited to help you with your eye care!

Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.

Sources:

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Healthdirect Australia 2022. Glaucoma. Healthdirect. Available at: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/glaucoma [Accessed November 13, 2024]

Lauermann P, Klingelhöfer A, Mielke D, Bahlmann D, Hoerauf H, Koscielny J, Sucker C, Feltgen N & Van Oterendorp C 2022. Risk Factors for Severe Bleeding Complications in Glaucoma Surgery and the Role of Antiplatelet or Anticoagulant Agents. Clinical Ophthalmology Volume 16, 1245–1254. 10.2147/opth.s361867

NHS 2021. Glaucoma Treatment. NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/glaucoma/treatments/ [Accessed November 13, 2024]