Glaucoma Surgery Treatment Options at Our Arizona Practice
When a patient is first diagnosed with glaucoma, the doctor will attempt to control the condition with one or more medications. If these drugs don't work, or if they lose their effectiveness after several years, glaucoma surgery may be the best treatment option. Our Arizona surgeons offer both conventional and laser surgery to fulfill the individual needs of each patient.
Laser Glaucoma Surgery
Laser glaucoma surgery can be used to treat both primary open-angle glaucoma and the less common narrow-angle glaucoma, using a variety of lasers and surgery techniques.
Laser Surgery for Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma
The most common type of glaucoma, primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), occurs when fluid in the eye cannot drain properly due to a blockage of the trabecular meshwork in the eye. Laser glaucoma surgery for POAG is an effective treatment for Arizona patients who may not be getting adequate relief from their glaucoma medications.
There are two ways to treat primary open-angle glaucoma with laser surgery. The first is called selective laser trabeculoplasty, or SLT. During this procedure, the doctor will use a laser to create tiny openings in select areas of the trabecular meshwork, which allows more fluid to pass through. Because only small amounts of meshwork are treated at one time, SLT is the only type of laser glaucoma treatment that can be repeated multiple times.
Argon laser trabeculoplasty, or ALT, is the other common type of laser glaucoma surgery used at our Arizona practice. For this treatment, the doctor uses an argon laser to open the eye's fluid channels, encouraging more drainage. In many cases, only half of the channels are treated at first to avoid over treatment. After monitoring intraocular pressure for a few weeks, the doctor can treat the other half of the fluid channels if needed.
Laser Surgery for Narrow-Angle Glaucoma
Narrow-angle glaucoma, also called angle-closure glaucoma, usually occurs when ocular fluid is suddenly kept from draining properly. This can happen when the iris opens too widely and makes the eye's drainage angle too narrow. This type of glaucoma requires immediate treatment; our Arizona surgeons use laser peripheral iridodomy, or LPI, to reduce intraocular pressure.
When the iris initially causes fluid blockage, so much pressure builds up behind it that it is unable to move back into a more normal position. To fix the problem, the doctor uses a laser to create a tiny hole in the iris. This allows fluid to begin flowing properly again, reducing the amount of pressure behind the eye. Once this occurs, the iris will naturally fall back to its accustomed position.
After undergoing any type of laser glaucoma surgery treatment, it is important for Arizona patients to understand that they may still need to take glaucoma medication. Though there is currently no cure for glaucoma, combining laser treatments and drug regimens are the best way to ensure healthy vision for years.
Conventional Glaucoma Surgery
Because laser surgery has become the favored way to treat glaucoma, conventional surgery is generally reserved only for patients whose eyes have not responded to either medication or laser surgery. During a treatment called filtering microsurgery, the surgeon will make a small opening in the sclera, or white portion of the eye, near the eye's normal drainage area. This opening is covered by transparent conjunctival tissue. Fluid from the eye drains away between the opening in the sclera and the conjunctiva before being absorbed into the body.
If you have glaucoma or think that you might be at risk for developing glaucoma, do not be concerned that surgery is the only treatment. Our Arizona doctors can perform regular diagnostic and check-up appointments to help you manage glaucoma with medication and other treatments. To schedule a consultation with one of our experienced and friendly doctors, contact Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center today.
To find out if you are a candidate for glaucoma surgery or another treatment, contact the Arizona practice of Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center.
