People of all ages continue to have glaucoma as one of their main concerns when it comes to their eye health. It can affect your vision and result in blindness if untreated. 

However, the number of persons who lose their vision due to glaucoma is declining by roughly 50%. This is because of recent developments in technology and medicine, particularly glaucoma surgery. 

Still, many patients are unsure of what to anticipate following glaucoma surgery. How much of an inconvenience is it, and how long will recovery take? Continue reading to discover more about this eye surgery and its healing time. 

The Odds of Getting Glaucoma 

Over 2.7 million individuals in the United States are affected with glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness. Young persons with healthy lives are nonetheless susceptible to contracting the illness. 

It can be challenging to diagnose glaucoma since so wide distinct varieties of the condition exist. There are certain glaucoma kinds that do exhibit warning signals, although symptoms are uncommon. 

It’s also conceivable for each eye to get glaucoma at a different stage. There’s a chance that one eye is already well along. While a more moderate form of the condition may cause the opposite eye’s pressure to be lower. 

Additionally, certain people have a higher chance of contracting the illness. This covers adults over 35, with the risk rising with advancing age. African Americans, Asians, and those of Hispanic descent are also at higher risk. 

Your risk of developing glaucoma may also be influenced by your family’s history of the condition. Furthermore, those who have diabetes or high blood pressure. Glaucoma can also develop as a result of prior eye damage or injuries. 

In addition, glaucoma can develop from other eye disorders. This includes inflammatory disease, malignancy, or severe myopia.

Laser eye treatment for glaucoma

Your ophthalmologist may advise laser therapy in addition to prescription eye drops to treat your glaucoma. Your doctor may use a medical laser during these operations to lower intraocular pressure and stop future harm to the optic nerve. 

Aqueous humor (the fluid that drains from the eye) and its products are the two main goals of laser techniques used to treat open-angle glaucoma. Laser treatments are used to make a tiny hole in your iris, the colorful area of your eye, to allow fluid to escape from angle-closure glaucoma. 

Usually performed in-office, laser glaucoma treatments are relatively painless and secure.

Ways to Control Eye Pressure 

The main goal of glaucoma therapy is to bring intraocular pressure down to a safe level that will either stop or at least delay nerve damage. The sole factor that increases the likelihood of damaging the optic nerve from glaucoma that doctors can currently treat is eye pressure. The most common forms of treatment are eye drops or laser surgery, which either enhances fluid evacuation or lessens fluid production inside the eye. The “first line” of treatment can be either medicine or laser surgery. Patients typically favor one over the other, and we’ll go into more depth about that below. 

The two types of surgery 

Surgery may be performed using a tiny laser or a minuscule incision. Prior to incisional surgery, laser techniques are typically tested, albeit there are times when laser surgery is either inappropriate for the condition or unlikely to sufficiently reduce eye pressure. It’s also critical to recognize the wide variety of lasers used in ophthalmology, each with a distinct function and method. 

Surgical Techniques 

Trabeculectomy with the use of mitomycin C or 5-fluorouracil, the implantation of a glaucoma drainage device (or tube), cyclo photocoagulation, and the placement of an ExPRESS micro shunt are some of the microscopic incisional techniques. Additionally, there are more recent, minimally invasive glaucoma procedures that are combined with cataract surgery, like the Trabectome or iStent.  The eye pressure is frequently not sufficiently reduced by these methods for intermediate to advanced glaucoma, however, they are probably safer than conventional surgery. Each operation has unique applications, benefits, and drawbacks; your ophthalmologist and you should examine your options before choosing a procedure. 

The maker of the CyPass® micro-stent used to treat glaucoma made the voluntary decision to remove it from sale in 2018. Discover the manufacturer’s reasoning for taking this action and what to do if you have already undergone the CyPass micro-stent surgery.

Types of Laser Treatments for Glaucoma 

The kind of glaucoma you have been diagnosed with and how severe it is will determine the kind of laser therapy your doctor advises. 

Laser Iridotomy

Those with angle-closure glaucoma may have a laser iridotomy. The trabecular meshwork, also known as the drainage angle between the iris and the cornea (the transparent front window of the eye), is too tiny in this kind of glaucoma. The correct outflow of fluid from the eye is impeded by this small/closed angle, which raises intraocular pressure (IOP) and causes glaucoma-related vision loss. A tiny hole is made in your iris using a laser during a laser iridotomy operation to increase the drainage angle and improve fluid flow through the trabecular meshwork. IOP may decrease as a result of this.  

Laser Trabeculoplasty

Argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) and (SLT) selective laser trabeculoplasty are the two different kinds of laser trabeculoplasty operations. Both techniques aim to reduce IOP by enhancing the eye’s internal drainage system and enabling proper fluid drainage from the eye. Based on your specific condition, your doctor will decide which treatment choice is appropriate for you. 

Primary open-angle glaucoma can be treated with selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) 

SLT makes use of an extremely low-power laser. It “selectively” targets particular cells while keeping intact the trabecular meshwork’s untreated areas. SLT can be repeated safely as a result. 

SLT may be a solution for patients who have tried ALT or pressure-lowering drops without success. 

Treatment of primary open-angle glaucoma with argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) (POAG). 

The drainage system functions more effectively once the laser beam opens the fluid passages in the eye. Medication will frequently still be required. 

The first half of the fluid channels are typically addressed. The additional fluid channels can if necessary be addressed in a different session at a later date. With this approach, the danger of postoperative pressure rise is reduced and overcorrection is avoided. 

Up to 75% of patients who underwent argon laser trabeculoplasty saw satisfactory pressure reduction in their eyes.

Cyclophotocoagulation using lasers 

Laser cyclo photocoagulation may be utilized to lessen the eye’s production of aqueous humor in more complicated open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma patients. With the help of two different laser techniques (transscleral cyclo photocoagulation and endoscopic cyclo photocoagulation), the fluid-forming cells in the ciliary body of the eye are altered during this treatment to cause them to create less fluid, hence lowering IOP. 

What to anticipate throughout laser treatments for glaucoma

The benefit of laser surgery is that it may be performed in-office and carries a very low risk of major consequences. There is no need to stay in the hospital after laser surgery, and everyday routines remain the same. The eye is often sedated during laser surgery using the same eye drops that are used to gauge the pressure within the eye. The patient is positioned in front of the laser, which resembles a standard examination microscope, and then a temporary mirror contact lens is placed on the eye. Although laser surgery is not unpleasant, the patient could experience a random pin prick-like feeling. The contact lens will be taken out and the eye’s surface will be washed when the operation is finished. To make sure that the ocular pressure is not raised, another eye drop could be administered. On rare occasions, the pressure may rise for a prolonged length of time, necessitating surgical intervention.

Benefits of Glaucoma Laser Surgery Over the Long Term 

Low-level laser glaucoma surgery aids in reducing the eye’s intraocular pressure (IOP). The kind of laser surgery, the kind of glaucoma, age, race, and many other factors affect how long the IOP stays lower. To properly regulate the IOP pressure, some patients might require a second operation. 

Will Medications Still Be Needed After Surgery?

Most of the time, taking medication is still required to regulate and maintain ocular pressure. The quantity of medicine required, nevertheless, could be reduced after surgery. 

Recovery Period 

Typically, patients may return to their regular daily routines the day after laser surgery. 

The operation is often carried out in an eye clinic or an eye doctor’s office. Your eye will be given medication to numb it before the operation. After the procedure, your eye may feel a little sore and your vision may be a little hazy. After your procedure, you should plan transportation home. 

Glaucoma Laser Surgery Risks 

Like any surgical procedure, laser surgery has certain potential dangers. Immediately following surgery, some patients have a brief rise in intraocular pressure (IOP). There is a chance that in those who need YAG CP (Cyclophoto-Coagulation) surgery, the IOP will go too low to keep the eye’s normal metabolism and shape. Pre- and postoperative anti-glaucoma drug usage can aid in lowering this risk. 

Increased Cataract Risk 

Some glaucoma laser surgical techniques include a slight risk of causing cataracts. The potential advantages of the operation often outweigh any dangers, though. 

Contrary to popular belief, lasers cannot be utilized to treat cataracts outside of experimental investigations. A lens capsule made of the outer membrane is frequently left behind after a cataract has been removed with traditional cutting surgery. Similar to how a cataract does, this membrane can gradually become opacified and obstruct vision. This membrane can be opened by laser surgery, aiding in operation-free vision correction. Using a laser, this surgery is known as a capsulotomy. 

It’s crucial to go over all of your questions and worries with your eye doctor regarding laser surgery.

Laser treatment for glaucoma cost

Depending on the operation, different types of glaucoma surgeries have different costs. For the purpose of invoicing, glaucoma procedures are often split into two types. 

The least costly, least intrusive, and fastest healing procedures are those involving laser surgery. Both ambulatory surgical centers and ophthalmologists’ offices provide laser glaucoma treatments, which further lowers expenses because they are all outpatient procedures. 

These operations can cost between $1,000 and $2,000, but since they are deemed medically essential, you may be able to acquire some insurance coverage. To find out your out-of-pocket expenses after insurance coverage, speak with the office of your eye doctor. 

Incisional surgery: This is far more expensive, sometimes costing approximately $11,000, and requires specialist anesthesia and an eye surgeon in a hospital environment. However, because they are medically required, you can discuss the level of coverage with your health insurance. 

Treatment for glaucoma, which may involve prescription eye drops or surgery, is regarded as medically required. Although your typical health insurance will cover this procedure, your vision insurance might not. In comparison to “cosmetic” procedures like LASIK, you can receive better financial assistance for this sort of required treatment. However, there will be copays for doctor visits and prescription prescriptions.

Summary 

Laser eye surgery may be extremely safe and successful, and it has a place in the ophthalmologist’s toolkit. A thorough discussion with your ophthalmologist will aid you in deciding whether laser surgery is the best course of action for you.

FAQ’s

How well does laser therapy for glaucoma work? 

Although not effective for everyone, laser therapy works quite well for the majority of patients. To find out if the therapy was successful, you’ll have to wait 4 to 6 weeks. Even after laser therapy, the majority of patients will still need to take glaucoma medication. Additionally, you’ll require a few follow-up appointments for your doctor to evaluate your eye pressure. 

How long does glaucoma laser therapy last? 

The typical reduction in ocular pressure caused by laser trabeculoplasty is between 20 and 25 percent. The effects of the procedure often endure for one to five years. 

What adverse effects might laser glaucoma surgery cause? 

SLT carries a number of risks, such as increased eye pressure that may need treatment or surgery, eye inflammation, hemorrhage, laser light damage to the cornea, iris, or retina, insufficient reduction of eye pressure, and the need for further laser surgery. 

How long does it take for someone to recover after laser glaucoma surgery? 

Recovery times following filtration surgery and glaucoma laser surgery are comparable. For a complete recovery, allow yourself roughly a month. Faster healing times last for roughly three weeks. but a more complicated recovery might take up to 6 weeks.