Traditional Glaucoma Surgeries

Glaucoma surgery is usually performed under a local anesthetic with mild IV sedation.

While glaucoma surgery doesn’t cure glaucoma or undo existing vision loss, it can help to protect vision and prevent it from worsening.

Dr. Heather Dealy is a board-certified, experienced ophthalmic surgeon who is dedicated to providing detail-oriented care for her patients. She is fellowship trained in the surgical management of Glaucoma.

The cost of glaucoma surgery may vary depending on multiple factors. To learn more about pricing, please contact Eye Consultants today.

There are various glaucoma surgery techniques that may be used to lower eye pressure and prevent or reduce damage to the optic nerve. These options may include selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), implantation of Durysta™ implant, minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), trabeculectomy, tube shunt surgery, or diode laser cyclophotocoagulation. To learn which treatment is best for you and how it is performed, please get in touch with our practice today to schedule a consutlation with Dr. Dealy.

When performed by a board-certified ophthalmologist such as Dr. Dealy, risks are greatly reduced. The benefits often outweigh the risks for most advanced glaucoma cases. To discuss candidacy and if this procedure is right for you, please contact our Delaware office today.

The goal of glaucoma surgery is to reduce pressure in the eye, prevent vision loss, and protect any remaining vision.

Recovery following glaucoma surgery may vary depending on the type of surgery that is performed. Our team will provide you with thorough aftercare instructions to ensure that you heal properly for ideal results.

Glaucoma surgery can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 8 2 hours, depending on the type of procedure and the severity of the glaucoma being treated. Dr. Dealy will discuss the specifics of your procedure with you during your consultation appointment.

As with any surgery, glaucoma surgery comes with some side effects. These side effects can include temporary blurriness, eye irritation, redness, and swelling.

Yes, surgery can help reduce or stop the need for glaucoma drops. The surgery works to drain excess fluid and lower intraocular pressure, which makes the drops less necessary.

Your eye surgeon will let you know when you can drive again after glaucoma surgery. The exact timing will depend on how well you’re healing and the type of glaucoma surgery used. In general, you will not be able to drive for 1-2 weeks or longer.

At Eye Consultants, we recommend avoiding heavy lifting and strenuous activities, rubbing or touching your eyes, swimming, and wearing eye makeup. We will give you a full list of things to avoid to ensure you heal properly.

Trabeculectomy is a surgical procedure for glaucoma. It creates a new route for the fluid inside the eye to drain and helps relieve pressure. It’s often recommended when other treatments for glaucoma have not worked.

A tube shunt is an implant placed inside the eye to lower the intraocular pressure. This creates a new pathway for excess fluid to exit the eye. It’s most often used when medication and other treatments have not worked or when those options are not suitable.

Some of the risks or complications associated with trabeculectomy include bleeding and accidental tears, cataracts, and infection. Low and high intraocular pressure are also possible.

Most patients need 3-4 weeks to recover after traditional glaucoma surgery. That said, for some patients, it can take up to six weeks for blurred vision to subside. You will likely be able to return to most normal activities within 1-2 weeks, but heavy lifting and strenuous activities should be avoided for longer.

Scarring is one of the most common reasons glaucoma surgery fails. It can close off the new drainage system and cause your pressure to increase.

Trabeculectomy is an eye surgery used to treat glaucoma. It helps relieve pressure buildup in the eyes and creates a new way for fluid inside the eye to drain. While it can’t reverse vision loss that has already occurred, it can stop further vision loss and damage.

Your medical history, the severity of your glaucoma, and the results you’re looking for will all help your surgeon determine which procedure is right for you. Both are highly effective treatment options to lower intraocular pressure.

Traditional glaucoma surgeries are very successful at lowering eye pressure and slowing the progression of glaucoma over the long term. The exact success rate will depend on the type of procedure used.

Whether you need glaucoma medications after surgery will depend on how successful the procedure is. After a successful procedure, you will likely not need glaucoma medications at all.