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Questions You May Have In The Lead-Up To Glaucoma Surgery
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Being diagnosed with glaucoma can be scary. Although you typically cannot feel the increasing pressure in your eye, it will cause damage to your optic nerve, resulting in vision loss over time. Luckily, many cases of glaucoma can be treated or managed with surgery. If your doctor determines you are a good candidate for surgery, then they will likely advise you to schedule it. However, you may have some of the following questions as your surgery date approaches.
Will you be awake during the surgery?
Usually, patients are left awake during glaucoma surgery. However, your eye and the area around it will be numb so you won't feel a thing when the surgery is being performed. You may also be given a mild, oral sedative to keep you calm and make the experience less worrisome.
What does the surgeon do?
There are several different surgical procedures used for the treatment of glaucoma. Your doctor or surgeon will generally select the approach that's best for you prior to the procedure.
One common approach is called MIGS surgery, or minimally invasive glaucoma surgery. In this procedure, your surgeon will use a laser to widen some of the fluid drainage canals at the back of your eye. This allows fluid to drain out of your eye more effectively, which lowers your eye pressure. If you undergo MIGS, all you'll experience is bright lights and some clicking as the laser does its job.
Another common approach is called glaucoma implant surgery. In this procedure, the surgeon inserts a tiny tube into your eye, which allows fluid to better drain out of your eye, reducing your eye pressure. This procedure takes a little longer, but you'll still be numb the whole time.
How long does it take to recover?
You'll generally need to wear a patch over your eye for a few days post-surgery. And you'll be told to avoid bright lights and UV radiation for a few weeks. But many patients are surprised at how quickly they recover from glaucoma surgery. You probably won't see any improvement in your vision after surgery, but you will notice that your vision stops worsening, which is the goal of these procedures.
If you have any other questions about glaucoma surgery, don't hesitate to ask your surgeon or doctor. They can fill you in and help you make more informed decisions about the aftercare part of the process.
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