Glaucoma Surgery

An Overview: Glaucoma Surgery

At a Glance:

• Appropriate treatment, received at the right time, can slow or stop eye damage
• Treatments range from non-invasive eye drops to surgical options
• Treatment cannot restore vision that has been lost, but it can prevent further loss from occurring
• Treatments are tailored to the patient, the type and stage of Glaucoma, and the patient’s overall health

There are a number of Glaucoma Surgery and treatment options available that are designed to slow down or stop damage to the eye. While vision that has already been lost due to Glaucoma cannot be recovered, these treatments can prevent vision loss from getting worse.

Your eye care professional may suggest medicated eye drops, a laser procedure, or a surgical procedure that treats Glaucoma. These treatments all have a common goal: to reduce pressure inside the eye and prevent further damage to the optic nerve. 

• Prescription eye drops reduce pressure inside the eye by decreasing the amount of fluid the eye produces or helping fluid leave the eye more easily.

• Laser procedures can lower eye pressure by relieving blockage in the drain mechanism of the eye. In cases where there is an obstruction to the normal flow of fluid, lasers can be used to create new drainage channels inside the eye. 

• Surgical procedures reduce eye pressure by creating an opening in the wall of the eye, so the fluid can easily escape. Another surgical approach is to implant a shunt to channel fluid out of the eye.

Your Glaucoma surgery plan will depend on the type of Glaucoma you have, how far it has advanced, and your general health.

While glaucoma surgery can address all treatable Glaucoma conditions, it is only called for in optimal candidates. In other cases, medications and laser treatments are available. Here you will find a clear summary of Glaucoma surgery, including links to trusted resources with more detail.

Vision loss that has already occurred due to Glaucoma cannot be reversed. However, surgery can slow down or stop further vision loss and damage to the optic nerve. In all cases, there are advantages and drawbacks; the only way to make a decision is to understand the patient’s lifestyle, their specific, unique eyes, and their condition and its stage.

What to Expect: Glaucoma Surgery at CODET

While Glaucoma is highly treatable, all eyes and all patients are unique. Therefore, all CODET Glaucoma Surgery patients start with the education and selection process. We take this step very seriously. We begin by listening to you, your experience to date, and your hopes for treatment. Then, we conduct a complete medical evaluation using the best diagnostic equipment available, operated by highly trained technicians and surgeons. After explaining each of your options and our recommendations to you, you and your surgeon will reach a treatment decision together.

Glaucoma Surgical Procedures:

• Micro-Invasive Glaucoma Surgery – Kahook Dual Blade
• Drainage Device (Ahmed Valve and Molteno Valve)
• Trabeculectomy
• Cataract Surgery in Glaucoma

Why CODET for Glaucoma Surgery?

CODET provides our experienced doctors with advanced, proven technology and the finest surgical rooms and equipment. We are a team of specialists who work and consult together with one goal: to provide the best care available anywhere in the world to our patients. Our glaucoma specialist is Dr. Gabriela Avila, Head of the CODET Vision Institute’s Glaucoma Department.

Our Technology in Glaucoma Surgery and Diagnostics

Glaucoma Surgical Technology:

• Kahook DuaL Blade®
• Ahmed® Valve

Glaucoma Diagnosis Technology:

• Intraocular Pressure (CORVIS)
• Heidelberg Spectralis OCT – Optic Nerve and Retina Tomography
• Zeiss Humphrey – Field of Vision

How Does it Work?

Learn more about Trabeculectomy Surgery for Glaucoma

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