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Trabeculectomy is the most effective and most frequently used surgical method of treating glaucoma. Trabeculectomy allows the intraocular pressure to be lowered to such an extent that the disease progression is inhibited. However, not everyone with glaucoma can have trabeculectomy. Check what are the indications for trabeculectomy and what is the operation.

Trabeculectomyis a surgical method of treating glaucoma. Currently, it is considered one of the most popular and effective anti-glaucoma surgeries. However, not every patient with glaucoma can be done.

Trabeculectomy - indications

The way to treat glaucoma depends on the type of glaucoma and the severity of the disease. The healing effect can be achieved by three methods: conservative, laser and surgical treatment.

Trabeculectomy is a "last chance" procedure that is used after all other treatment options have been exhausted

The primary method of treating most forms of glaucoma is pharmacotherapy, i.e. giving the patient anti-glaucoma eye drops. If the disease can no longer be controlled with eye drops, or for some reason they cannot be used on the patient at all, laser trabeculoplasty is another treatment option. If the treatment with drops and lasers does not bring the expected results, i.e. they cannot stop the progression of optic nerve damage and visual field defects, a trabeculectomy is performed.

Is it possible to prevent glaucoma?

Trabeculectomy - what is it?

The most common cause of the development of glaucoma is a disturbance in the outflow of aqueous humor through the tear angle from the eye. It is a substance that fills the anterior chamber of the eye, nourishes the eye and carries away harmful waste products. If the aqueous humor is not drained as a result of narrowing or closure of the tidal angle, the pressure in the eyeball builds up, causing damage and atrophy of the optic nerve, leading to blindness.

Trabeculectomy is the creation of a new, artificial drainage pathway by creating a fistula in the tissues of the eye. For this purpose, a piece of tissue is cut out in the obstructed drainage angle (the structure responsible for the outflow of aqueous humor from the chamber).front eye). As a result of the operation in the upper part of the eyeball, the so-called filter bubble, which is hidden under the upper eyelid.

In young people or in eyes that have been repeatedly operated on, excessive scarring of the filter bladder may occur, which may result in the closure of the new drainage route. Then, during trabeculectomy, preventive drugs are used to inhibit excessive scarring (mitomycin or 5-fluorouracil). This is called trabeculectomy with mitomycin.

Important

Trabeculectomy, like other glaucoma surgeries, does not improve or restore vision.

Thanks to trabeculectomy, long-term control of intraocular pressure is achieved in most patients, although some patients may require further medication or further procedures.

Trabeculectomy - complications

After trabeculectomy, complications such as bleeding, too low intraocular pressure after surgery (hypotension), cloudy lens (cataract development), infection, but also an increase in eye pressure despite surgery may occur.

Glaucoma - treatments for glaucoma

Depending on the severity of the disease, glaucoma can be treated with different methods. Starting from specially dedicated sets of drops to operating methods. What treatment method has the best results? When do we use non-surgical treatment and when is surgery necessary? Our expert, prof. Iwona Grabska-Liberek, head of the department of ophthalmology at the Clinical Hospital W. Orłowski in Warsaw.

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