Glaucoma Surgery

If detected early, there are many treatment options for glaucoma, including surgery, that can minimize loss of vision before the disease becomes too advanced.

The board certified and fellowship trained ophthalmologists at Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania have a vast amount of experience in all current glaucoma treatments and surgical procedures and have helped thousands of people minimize the irreversible effects of the disease.

Our highly skilled glaucoma team includes:

  • Mehul H. Negarsheth, MD – Board certified ophthalmologist; received his medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine; fellowship-trained in glaucoma at Tufts New England Eye Center and Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston; extensive experience in medical research of the eye.
  • Abhishek K. Nemani, MD – Board certified ophthalmologist; received his medical degree from the State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse; fellowship-trained in glaucoma at the prestigious Scheie Eye Institute at the University of Pennsylvania where he was awarded “Fellow of the Year.”

Types of Glaucoma Surgery

Glaucoma can usually be controlled with medications, conventional surgery, laser surgery, or a combination of these treatments. You and your doctor will be the best judges of which treatment is most appropriate for your situation.

Trabeculectomy: The most common type of conventional surgery for glaucoma is known as trabeculectomy (also called filtration surgery). It is used in both open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma. The surgeon creates a passage in the white part of the eye (the sclera) to give excess eye fluid a new place to drain.

Laser Trabeculoplasty: For open-angle glaucoma, the most common laser surgery is trabeculoplasty. It can be very effective for treating glaucoma because no cutting is involved. The surgeon uses a laser beam to make small changes in the eye’s drainage system to allow fluid to flow more easily and reduce intraocular pressure.

Trabeculoplasty is painless and takes just 3 to 5 minutes. Risks and complications are usually minimal, but long-term success rates are variable. More than half of patients who have this surgery need additional treatment within five years, and the procedure can be done only two or three times in each eye over a lifetime.

Laser Peripheral Iridotomy: If you have narrow angle or angle-closure glaucoma, you may benefit from another type of laser surgery called a peripheral iridotomy. The surgeon creates a tiny hole in the iris (colored part of the eye) to equalize the pressure in front of and behind the iris. This causes the iris to move away from the closed drainage angle and allows the aqueous fluid to drain normally.

Other alternatives: There are other glaucoma surgeries, such as drainage implant surgery and the Express Mini Glaucoma Shunt (a stainless steel device that is inserted into the anterior chamber of the eye), as well as some promising alternatives to surgery. Your doctor will help you make informed decisions about surgery and other treatment options.

Glaucoma surgery can help to minimize the irreversible effects of the disease. Schedule an appointment at Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania to discuss the possible risks and benefits of each type of treatment. We encourage you to visit one of our five convenient locations in Wyomissing, Pottsville, Pottstown, Lebanon and Blandon, PA.

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