Trabeculectomy glaucoma surgery, has anyone had one?

Hi Mike, i'll be taking a "vacation" from the computer for the month of December and won't be available at this forum so i have more time for other activities .  The best of luck and warm wishes to you, Beverly

Hi Beverly, thanks so much for your time and help!!! i will get back to you after the surgery(if i need it)

Lisa:

I had trabeculectomy surgery in each of my eyes this past summer.  My left eye also had a cataract removed at the same time.  All went well.

I was diagnosed with glaucoma three years ago and immediately began administering drops.  Until this summer, the drops (up to 6 times a day, three different meds) keep the progression under control. However, this past June, my pressures were up to 15 and 16 so the  trab surgery was necessary. 

The surgery with the cataract was a bit more complicated but the recovery was very similar to my right eye.  Be sure to follow your doctor's instructions very carefully.

Today, (4 months post surgery) I am drop free and have resumed all my previous activities.  My pressures are at 7.  I go back for a re-check at the end of February. 

I feel very fortunate to  have excellent doctors and I try not to dwell on the future and my vision. 

Best of luck to you.

Nancy

Nancy,

Thank you for the timely words of encouragement.  My pressure has been 23 in the left eye lately.  

I am scheduled for the cataract and trab next Wednesday.  You are the third person to tell me to follow doctor's post-op orders carefully.  I am a bit less apprehensive and looking forward to improved clarity without the cataract.

Yes, I am trying to be thankful for the medical options as I hope I still have many years left with these eyes and do want to control the vision loss from the glaucoma.  

Thank you,

Lisa

My pressure in the left eye was 15-17 before my surgery. Now, 4 months out, it is stable at 7! 

Like you, I am hopeful to have my vision for many more years.  I will do whatever it takes to make that a reality.

I'm sure your surgery will go well.  Please keep me informed.  I'll be thinking of you.

Best wishes,

Nancy

 

Hello Nancy and Lisa, Sorry it took so long for me to chime in.  I was not getting any responses re trabulectomies and so lost interest in the forum and have not been following it.  I am interested in learning about your experiences.  I did not have a cataract to remove during the trab.  My trab was in one eye.  I have open-angle glaucoma (for which i am grateful) and had allergic reactions to all but 2 or 3 of the medications available to lower eye pressure.  After the surgery, my eye pressure without digital manipulation was 20...2 points higher than before the surgery.  I was very concerned.  After digital manipulation, the pressure lowered to 10, but this was not sustainable.  It has been 7 months since the surgery and one change of doctor (both doctors are glaucoma specialists) and the change of doctor was a question of convenience only.  One thing that can happen (to some people) is that during the first month the body is looking to heal itself and the bleb can be hindered by scar tissue and this was my post surgical experience.  There is a process called "needling" that consists of inserting a needle into the canal where the bleb drains and opening up that canal.  Most certainly with local anesthesia.  It has been 3 months since i had this procedure and my operated eye is now maintaining a pressure of 8 without any drops (except for over the counter dry eye drops) or digital manipulation.  Unfortunately, the eye that was not operated on, that had a pressure of about 18, now has a pressure of 23.  I am now taking medicated drops for the unoperated eye, bimatoprost and timolol, not a mixture but separately.  The bimatoprost is a new medication for me and i am tolerating it very well.  We are waiting to see if it will lower the pressure sufficiently in the unoperated eye which has not yet developed into glaucoma.  So this is where i am at 71 years of age and i am still driving, reading, doing all the same kinds of things.  This disease is being actively researched and there are all kinds of possibilities in the future for you young kids in your 50s .  Still it keeps going on like a ping pong ball in action...good news, bad news, and i really want to encourage you to maintain your lives and do not allow yourself to become discouraged.  It seems like every time i get discouraged, the doctor (both of them have been very good) will come up with some solution to what ever problem.  I expect the future holds for me another trabeculectomy, i'll wait and see.  The first one wasn't so bad.  Once a week i receive in my personal email a notice from this site about activity and i'll check in once a week to see how you both are doing.  Now the focus in my life is not doctor related but in enjoying my retirement, but i am happy to participate in this forum and the very best of wishes for the two of you.

Hi Beverly,

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement.  They really help.

I have not heard of the needling procedure.  It is encouraging to know there is something else to be done if the bleb becomes plugged.

I am 4 months out from my last trab.  I have had both eyes done.

I am very active and have resumed riding my horse and mild weightlifting.  Like you, I am retired and plan on enjoying it!

Thank you again for writing.  I was diagnosed three years ago and do not personally know anyone with glaucoma.  It's been rather lonely.

Best wishes,

Nancy

Hi Nancy and Beverly,

Thank you both for sharing your experiences and words of encouragement.  I am on my way this morning for a cataract removal in my left eye (the one with some vision loss due to glaucoma).  Of course, my vision is made worse by this silly cataract.

We've postponed the trab as the measurements of my eye indicate a long eye and the risk with the trab is too low of pressure - go figure!

Three drops (timelol, dorzolomide, latanaprost) have only been keeping the left eye between 20-23.  Something will need to be done, but the trab doesn't look like an option.

I have researched by doctor and do trust his recommendations.  The trab seems to be the first option, but you are right Beverly, they do keep coming up with other options.

I'm not retired, but have a good job with ample play time for 2 wonderful granddaughters.  Staying active is important and I appreciate your positive words.

Thanks,

Lisa

Hi Lisa:

I hope your cataract surgery went well. Hopefully, you will be able to see more clearly now. 

I believe I was told that cataract surgery can also help relieve pressure in the eye.   Hope that is the case for you. 

Best wishes,

Nancy

Surgery update

Yes, the cataract surgery went smoothly.  Took two weeks to get clear vision without nausea, but my vision is good with no additional correction.  Spent the extra money on the Toric lens.  Unfortunately it did not lower my pressure at all.  We had hoped a side effect would be lower pressure.

Scheduled in two more weeks to discuss other glaucoma surgery options since the trab doesn't appear to be a good option for me.  Wished I could report on the success of a trab, but I will seek out feedback from those who may have had similar surgery limitations for glaucoma.

Again, thanks for all of the encouraging words.

Lisa

Hi Lisa,

Glad to hear the cataract surgery went well. That's good news! Hopefully, there are some other options out there for you regardling the pressure.

I go back to my doctor for a pressure check on the 22nd of Feb.  My vision isn't quite as good as it was in my left eye but I think my pressure has stayed quite low.  I'll know for sure soon.

Please let us know how your're doing.

Best wishes,

Nancy

Hi Tracy. I had my trabeculectomy surgery last summer. My right eye was done in June and my left eye in August. Like you, I was very apprehensive. However, the surgeries went well and there was very little discomfort. They gave me an anti nausea medication that worked great. I now go back for rechecks every 3 to 4 months. I like to think that the lowered pressures will be preventing any vision loss. Time will tell. Do whatever your doctor tells you and you will also have a positive outcome. Best wishes. Remember, keeping our eyesight is our ultimate goal!

Hi Nancy. Thank you so much for your reply. I'm so glad your procedures went well and you have fully recovered from them.

Yes I agree eyesight is very precious. My Mother started with glaucoma which was left untreated for too long. She then got macular degeneration which has eventually made her go blind.

So I am only too aware to do everything my eye Dr tells me as I hope to avoid blindness if possible.

As much as I'm not relishing the thought of the operation I just want to get it over and done with and start the recovery phase!

Did you have a local or general anaesthetic?

What sort of things could you do or had to avoid after the op?

How did you manage with hair washing?

Sorry to bombard you with questions. But the best person to ask us someone whose been through it.

Thanks x

I had local anesthesia with the anti nausea drug. I was pretty much out of it. I could hear voices and that was about it. I couldn't wash my hair for 3 days. I used a dry shampoo. I couldn't bend over for months. I couldn't garden or ride my horse for about 3 months. I could walk as much as I wanted. You will feel so relieved to have it over. Let me know of any other questions you may have. I'm here to help you. Best wishes.