Surgical Procedures You May Have Done If You've Got Glaucoma
Posted on: 17 February 2017
Glaucoma can be a painful eye disease and interfere with your daily life. The pain resulting from the intense pressure in your eyes and the inability to see as well as you used to can start to really have an effect on your life. That's why your ophthalmologist is likely to start talking to you about surgery that could stop your blurry vision and discomfort. Two of the things they might suggest are below.
Stent Implant
The reason for the pressure and discomfort you experience because you have glaucoma is due to a lot of fluid inside your eyeball. To drain out some of that liquid, your doctor could recommend placement of a tiny stent. If you're not sure what a stent is, it's a tube that is typically made of plastic or metal mesh. Because the stent used for this procedure is so small, it's unlikely that you'll feel it at all once it's been implanted.
To do this, your optical surgeon will cut into your eye, making a small incision so that the tube can be put into your eye. You are probably going to feel some minor pain from that incision, so after the procedure you might be told to use over-the-counter pain medication to keep pain levels down. After that though, you should not need anything else done on your eye, as the stent will automatically drain your eye when fluid builds up.
It's vital to know that certain health conditions, such as thyroid issues, could mean that you're not eligible for this procedure; be sure to ask.
CycloAblation
Another surgery recommended to you could be something called a cycloablation. Unlike the stent process where something is inserted into your eye, a laser will target the part of your eye that produces the overwhelming amout of liquid causing the increased pressure. That part is referred to as the eye's ciliary body. Part of the ciliary body is a muscle which controls focus, so it's essential that the doctor who has done your surgery has experience and a steady hand. They will aim the laser at the ciliary body and destroy just enough of it that less liquid is produced but the muscle remains intact.
As with many laser procedures, pain is said to be minimal for this surgery. If successful, you should recover quickly. You are likely to be asked to use prescription eyedrops for some time so that your eye can remain bacteria-free and lubricated.
These two surgeries can get rid of the pain and help you to see more clearly. A visit to a local eye surgery center should provide you with more answers. For more information, contact a business such as Dixie Ophthalmic Specialists at Zion Eye Institute.
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