In the front part of the eye, there is a watery fluid that keeps the eyeball firm and the vision clear. Under normal circumstances, this fluid constantly flows into and out of the eye in perfect balance. In open-angle glaucoma, the drainage system is blocked internally which causes the fluid to back up and the pressure inside the eye to rise. When the pressure gets too high it damages the delicate optic nerve which is responsible for carrying visual images to the brain. If the damage progresses, the eye will eventually go blind. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in America.
The first decision that has to be made in the treatment of open-angle glaucoma is whether to start therapy with a laser treatment or with eye drops. The advantage of laser surgery is that it can clean the internal blockage, restoring normal function to the natural outflow system for a period of time that could be years. If the patient decides on an eye drop first, and the drop is not successful in lowering the pressure to ideal levels, your doctor may recommend laser surgery before adding additional drops.
The eye will be anesthetized with drops before the procedure is started so there is minimal if any, discomfort to the patient. Most patients do not complain of pain during the procedure. Laser therapy usually takes less than 5 minutes to complete.
Immediately following the procedure, you may receive drops in your eyes to help stabilize and comfort the eye. You should know that your eye may be slightly red, mildly irritated and the vision blurred for approximately 1 to 2 days following your treatment. The eye pressure can be somewhat unstable after laser therapy because of the surgery itself.
