Glaucoma Treatments and Surgery

Two laser treatments and one surgery may be recommended at different stages in the treatment of glaucoma: Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI), Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT)/Selective laser trabeculoplasty and glaucoma surgery.

Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT)/Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT)

Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI)
This preventative technique is used to preempt the occurrence of a glaucoma attack. The treatment is performed in the office.  During an eye examination, an eye doctor may notice that the angle in the eye appears to be too narrow. A narrow angle tends not to drain properly and can lead to a build up of fluid and pressure, a precursor to glaucoma. In LPI, a laser is used to place a tiny opening in the iris in order to improve drainage. The patient is required to use anti-inflammatory eye drops for approximately one week following the treatment. LPI has a very high success rate.


Glaucoma Surgery
When all other treatments fail, glaucoma surgery may be necessary. There are many different surgical procedures currently available when laser treatment and eye drops fail to control the glaucoma. The purpose of the surgery is to create a new outflow channel that works in tandem with the existing channels. The resulting increased drainage reduces the pressure in the eye and prevents any further eye deterioration. It is important to understand that glaucoma surgery cannot improve or reverse the damage already done by the disease. Its use is as a preventative measure to limit further damage or worsening of the disease. The surgery has about an 80% success rate.

o it.