Lorraine

Laser treatment for glaucoma is only temporary and you will have to continue using drops. If your present drops no longer agree with you, your opthalmologist can change them. There are also some new developments such as thin stents which are more permanent than laser or drops and also a once a month injection which replaces drops. Some of these may still be experimental but look promising.

I have been on many eyedrops with minimal results.  Only one that has somewhat worked is Lumigan which causes irritation & dark circles around my eye.  SLT, laser did not help mich.  There are 2 new drugs just FDA approved that I will be trying next. Scheduled for cataract surgery soon which Dr says should lower pressures & possible glaucoma stent.  Hopefully, I will then be able to be off drops for a while.  In my experience, they all have some side effects, some worse than others.

Hi, I had laser iridotomy (laser surgery) in both eyes 2 yrs ago, didn't work. Now had to have again, just one eye so far. Have to find out in a couple Of weeks if successful, then get the other eye done. Otherwise, Dr said I need cataract surgery. NOT running to do that. What kind of side effects are you having from eye drops. I use eye drops for that every night. Plus for dry eye.

I had this done in one eye. It dropped the pressure 4 points but I still need eyedrops. It only took 5 minutes and was not painful.

Hi Lorraine, it was uncomfortable, but not very painful. I have a very low pain threshold. I just hope it works this time. I find out in 2 weeks. Then I have to schedule the other eye. It was very uncomfortable till the next day, then it felt better. I'm just afraid she's going to tell me again to get cataract surgery. I don't want to do that. My pressure is under control with the drops. But she said this is preventative, so as not to get an acute attack, heaven forbid. She's always so rushed. I think she's a good Dr though. At least I hope she is. Is your appt tomorrow or next week? Good luck. I also have dry eye, I have to use eye drops for.

Hi 

I have had laser therapy twice - SLT, most recently in February. My consultant doesn’t think that it has really worked. He wants me to try a month off drops in June to see if I can come off them longterm. He thinks that I won’t be able to. The procedure was painful for me but that is because local anaesthetics don’t numb me. Latanaprost makes me ill, Ganfort lowers my bp too much, Azopt makes me ill. Currently on Lumigan and Tiopex. Hope this helps. 

I understand that there is a risk of tissue damage with SLT.  Has anyone undergone MLT which is supposedly as effective without tissue damage. 

Has anyone who has had SLT or MLT also had cataract surgery?