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Trabeculectomy

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Trabeculectomy is a surgical procedure in which a small hole is made in the sclera (eye wall) to lower the intraocular pressure (IOP) in the eye in patients with glaucoma. The aqueous humour, which is the fluid inside the eye, drains through this opening into a small reservoir under the eye surface that is hidden by the eyelid. Draining the aqueous humor prevents or slows further damage and further loss of vision in glaucoma. The procedure will not restore vision already lost from glaucoma. In certain complicated cases, the doctor may also place a glaucoma drainage device implant to keep the drainage opening from healing and closing down.

Benefits
Trabeculectomy is a standard surgery for glaucoma that lowers pressure inside the eye when intraocular pressure cannot be managed with eye drops or if the eye drops have side effects that impact quality of life or if the patient experiences an allergic reaction to the eye drops, surgery may be the best option to prevent the condition from worsening.
 
  1. You will be given specific instructions on how to prepare for the procedure as well as what time and where you should go on the day of the procedure.
  2. Please wash your hair and face before you arrive at the hospital on the morning of the procedure.
  3. Please let the doctor know of all medication you are taking, especially those with blood-thinning properties, as some may need to be stopped before the procedure.
  4. If you are using eye drops to lower intraocular pressure, please continue using them as normal.
  5. If general anesthesia is used, you may have to avoid food and water for at least 6 hours before the procedure.
Trabeculectomy will perform under general anesthesia or local anesthesia in the operating room. If you have the surgery under local anesthesia, you are awake during the operation. Your eye will be held open by a lid speculum, so you do not have to worry about blinking during the surgery. Normally trabeculectomy lasts up to 40-60 minutes.
  1. Please avoid letting the affected eye come into contact with water. Please do not rub your eye or use any other object to do so.
  2. Please do not remove the eye covering after the procedure.
  3. Please use the prescribed drops and wait 5 minutes between administering drops if they need to be done at the same time.
  4. Please be careful not to impact the affected eye.
  5. Please keep all follow-up appointments.
  6. It is recommended that you wear sunglasses when you are outside.
  7. If you experience any abnormal symptoms, such as pain, severe redness, or worsening vision, please see your doctor immediately.
  • Infection
  • Increased intraocular pressure
  • Lowered intraocular pressure
Before the Procedure
  • Please plan to stay in Thailand for at least 2 weeks through the duration of the treatment.
  • It is recommended that you stay in a hotel close to the hospital for convenience in traveling to the hospital before and after the procedure.
After the Procedure
  • Your eye(s) will be covered for 1 day after the procedure so a family member or friend should come to the hospital with you and accompany you home. Your vision will be reduced in the first month after the procedure.
  • Your doctor will assess your symptoms the day after the procedure. If necessary, you will see your doctor more often than that, depending on their recommendation.
  • If your post-operative intraocular pressure is stable and the new drainage tract functions well and you have no abnormal symptoms, you can return to your home country.
Most procedures to treat glaucoma can only keep the condition from worsening. It cannot reverse any loss of vision.
Medication or other surgeries to decrease the intraocular pressure.
 
Last modify: December 17, 2020

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