Is Glaucoma Surgery Dangerous?

Glaucoma is a deterioration of the optic nerve and is a chronic ailment that many people suffer in their later years. Many people are wondering about the glaucoma surgery and if it is dangerous or not. To get a definite answer, you have to first understand what glaucoma is and if you have any risk factors that can complicate surgery. If you have questions regarding the use of surgical applications to reverse the damage due to glaucoma, unfortunately the chances are slim. I’ll talk about those possibilities in another post, but for now, let’s look at how glaucoma is treated.

Treating glaucoma can either begin with laser techniques or medications that target the pressure inside the eye. Reducing this pressure is really the only way to start the healing process. This will prevent or at least slow down further damage to the optic nerve. If a person doesn’t respond well to lasers or medications, then surgery should be considered. The goal of glaucoma surgery is the same as lasers or medications, to relieve the pressure on the optic nerve. A bulk of these surgeries include a shunt which allows the eye to regulate its pressure at a normal state. In addition, there are several methods of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery being brought into the forefront of restorative vision practices.

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Knowing the Dangers of Glaucoma Surgery

Just like with any LASIK and cataract surgery, there are certain risks associated with undergoing treatment for glaucoma. One might expect the following complications: loss of vision, bleeding, infection, low eye pressure, scarring, or cataracts. While all of these risks with glaucoma surgery are indeed dangerous, I assure you that they are extremely rare and can be avoided if special attention is paid to hereditary effects and being completely translucent with your ophthalmologist regarding the medications you are taking.

Getting the most out of your glaucoma surgery revolves around getting the right medical practitioner to conduct it in the first place. All of the dangers listed above can easily be avoided with proper care and an in-depth pre-operative screening.

Take the Danger Out of Glaucoma with an Annual Pre-Screening

Glaucoma, without corrective surgery, can be extremely dangerous. It leads to vision loss and blinding. By testing for it during your yearly eye exam, you can spot early warning signs and take preemptive measures to avoid further damage to the optic nerve. Make sure that your eye doctor utilizes tonometry to test the pressure inside your eye. In addition, a dilated eye exam is helpful in detecting early warning signs of glaucoma.