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The Surgery Center of South BayThe Surgery Center of South Bay

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Glaucoma Surgery

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a disease that damages the eye’s optic nerve. It can cause blindness if left untreated, though only about half of the estimated three million Americans who have glaucoma know they are affected. Glaucoma generally produces few early symptoms and the disease progresses slowly.

Overview

While glaucoma is often treated with medicated eye drops, sometimes surgery becomes necessary. We perform selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), a procedure that uses a low-level energy laser to target specific cells in the trabecular meshwork, the eye’s drainage channels. This stimulates the eye’s draining function, easing the buildup of pressure from fluid.

What to Expect

Glaucoma surgery is an outpatient procedure that generally requires one follow-up exam.

The doctor will put eye drops in the eyes before or after the procedure to decrease fluid and prevent elevation in pressure. A special microscope and lens will guide the laser beam to the canals where fluid drains. The doctor will then make small burns in the trabecular meshwork. While discomfort is usually minimal, some people will feel a heat sensation in the eye.

Complications are rare, but the most common one is an increase in eye pressure. The pressure may be normal after surgery, but it can rise sharply within one to four hours. This can be prevented by using apraclonidine or brimonidine before or after surgery, especially in people with high intraocular pressure.

Other complications may include:

  • Inflammation of the colored part of the eye
  • Clouding of the cornea
  • Blockage of the draining angle
  • Pain
  • Decreased vision

How to Prepare

No preparation is necessary, though mild discomfort may exist temporarily after the procedure.

ACL Repair Adhesiolysis Advanced Laparoscopic and Hysteroscopic Surgery Ahmed Glaucoma Valve Arthrodesis Arthroplasty Baerveldt Implant - Glaucoma Drainage Devices Blepharoplasty/Eyelid Revision Procedures Bunion/Hammer Toe Correction Cataract Surgery Cataract Surgery with ORA Colposcopy Corneal Transplants DSAEK Disc Decompression Dupuytren's Surgery Endometrial Ablation Endometrial/Uterine Biopsy Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release Epidural Steroid Injection Ex-Press Mini Glaucoma Shunt Eyelid Surgery for Aging Eyes Facet Joint Injections Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Ganglion Mass Excision General Anesthesia Glaucoma Medications Glaucoma Surgery Hysterectomy IOLs Intercostal Nerve Blocks Intrathecal Pumps – Trial and Implant Intrauterine Device (IUDs) Joint Arthroscopy: Knee, Shoulder and Ankle Joint Injections Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy - Gallbladder Procedure Laser Trabeculoplasty Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) Lumbar Discectomy Lumbar Laminectomy MILD Procedure Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC) Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF) Orthopedic Procedures Pain Stimulator Insertion (Spinal Cord Stimulation) Pediatric Anesthesia Peripheral Nerve Blocks Plantar Fasciotomy Pterygium Surgery Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) Refractive Surgery Repair of Fractures, Tendons, Nerves Revision Sinus Surgery Revision of Fingertip Amputation Rotator Cuff Repair Sacral Nerve Stimulation Sacroiliac Joint Injection Scleral Buckling Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) Selective Nerve Blocks (SNRB) Sinuplasty Skin Flap Skin Graft Spinal Cord Stimulation Trial Spine Procedures Tenosynovectomy Trabeculectomy Ultrasound Vitrectomy YAG Laser Procedure iStent Glaucoma Surgery With Cataract Surgery
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Surgery Center of South Bay
23500 Madison Street,
Torrance, CA 90505

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