Trabeculectomy

Primary open angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma. With open angle glaucoma, the drainage system of the eye becomes clogged, which leads to less drainage of fluid, causing eye pressure to increase. If the eye pressure becomes too high for your eye, it damages your optic nerve causing defects in your visual field.

One of the surgical treatments for glaucoma is a Trabeculectomy.

A Trabeculectomy is a procedure where your surgeon will create a new pathway for aqueous fluid to flow through your eye and is used to prevent any further vision loss from glaucoma by lowering your eye pressure.

During the surgery, your surgeon will make a flap in the white part of your eye, underneath your eyelid creating a small pocket of fluid, or bleb, to allow aqueous fluid to drain and lower your eye pressure.

Your activity will be very limited after your surgery until your surgeon releases you to do more as your eye heals. Your vision will also be blurry after the surgery as your eye heals. More information will be given to you at your pre-surgical appointment at the office. You will have two prescription eye drops that start before your surgery that will be sent to your pharmacy and you will be given instructions on how to use them before your surgery.

We will ask that you discontinue any over the counter blood thinners, such as Cod Liver Oil, Flax Seed Oil, and Aspirin for 5 days before your surgery. If your primary care doctor feels that it is safe for you to stop any prescription blood thinners, this should also be done before your surgery. If it is not safe for you to stop them, then you can continue them.

Having a Trabeculectomy does not mean your glaucoma is cured or that you won’t need any other treatments such as drops, lasers, or surgery in the future.

Please discuss any questions or concerns you have about having a Trabeculectomy with your ophthalmologist before your procedure.