Trabulectemy result

[Cornwalleyes]

I know everyone is different but I had my op last Thursday and the consultant says it has gone well. I had a patch on overnight which was taken off the following morning when I went for a check up. My eye felt sore and achy but really not bad enough to take painkillers. My vision is a little blurry but again not enough to affect me doing anything and it’s getting better every day. I have drops to take every two hours during the day and a clear eye shield to wear at night. Next check up is a week after the op. I was really worried about it all beforehand and just wanted to put this on in the hope it will reassure anyone who has a trab coming up.

[Stairs10]

That's good to hear. Enjoy the weekend!

[muddledme in reply to Stairs10]

Really good news, hope you have plenty of drops to last over the bank holiday and that you have a hospital phone number to contact if worried about anything.

It is such a relief post op, I felt like a weight had been removed from my shoulders.

[Toby_from_London]

Thanks for the positive update, Cornwalleyes.

I was terrified before my MIGS surgery but this forum and the lovely people who use it, really helped🙂

[callie77 in reply to Toby_from_London]

How are you doing Toby? Are your pressures still low?

[Toby_from_London in reply to callie77]

Hi Callie,

My next appointment is in around 4 weeks so hopefully my IOP will have now stabilised and remain low!

Recovery is quite a long process; I’m still on 4 eye drops a day but am hoping they will be tapered down at this next appointment. Hope you are doing well and are not too stressed out waiting for your op❤️

[callie77 in reply to Toby_from_London]

Hi Toby glad you doing wellI'm on monoprost now and supposed to see consultant in mid Sept but they have gave me an appointment for December!! Rang secretary but she said that was the earliest!! Take care x

[callie77]

Thank you Cornwalleyes, hope you continue to improve with each day. Take care x

[balacakkhu]

This is very good news... the operation is very delicate issue, please allow me to remind you - No Rubbing, No Bending, No Lifting, Wearing the shield at night (and day if it is necessary) and Putting eye drops . With best wishes.

[Picklepuss12]

Great news. I, all likelihood, will have to have the same operation and I find it quite frightening to be honest. But reading your experience has helped me. Thanks.

[floki7]

Well done, yes the thought is far worse than the op, good luck.

[mrswaffle]

Great news! 👍

[Ritualhazard]

Thank you for sharing. I have to have trab in both yes. First is scheduled for 21st September and I’m already stressing about it

[Cornwalleyes in reply to Ritualhazard]

I was absolutely imagining the worst and got very stressed about it, but the whole experience was so much better than I imagined. Honestly, I think the worst part is having to wear the plastic eye shield at night, but I think that’s only going to be for the first week. Good luck with yours in Sept and post any questions you have on here - there is always someone to answer and offer reassurance.

[Toby_from_London in reply to Ritualhazard]

Just a reminder to anyone new to the forum that Glaucoma UK can match you to a “Buddy” who has had the same procedure (trab or shunt) and can talk you through their experience. This really helped me before my op as I had more of an understanding of what to expect both during the procedure and during recovery, although of course everyone is different.

Sending good wishes to Ritualhazard and everyone nervously waiting for surgery🙂

[Sufitzy]

Thank you so much for sharing the this info. Wishing you well in the recovery x

[ML45]

I had mine a month ago and can say the hardest part is remembering the constant eye drops and doing absolutely nothing else, the tv became my friend. Looking forward to getting the other eye done in a few months

[Cornwalleyes in reply to ML45]

Yes every two hours for eye drops is a challenge to remember and I am missing all my normal activities, but I hope to talk my consultant into allowing me to do more after the first week.

[Toby_from_London in reply to Cornwalleyes]

Hi Cornwalleyes,

Recovery is quite a long process; you may need to administer eye drops for around 3 months, tapering usage down in stages until you can stop altogether.

As I have to use different drops in each eye I made myself a chart with the time allocated in 2 hourly increments, and ticked off each drop as it was administered. This helped enormously as I was loosing track of where I was during the day!

I know it’s difficult but please try and be patient as the eye is very easily damaged when IOP is low after surgery. Following your consultants advice will give you the best chance of a positive outcome; I wish you well🙂

[mx20378 in reply to Toby_from_London]

i had a google-sheets spreadsheet, so i could access it from my phone - a written record was the only way i could keep track of 4 different types of drops each with a different schedule

[Toby_from_London in reply to mx20378]

Yes same!

[squirrel70]

Thanks Cornwalleyes, so pleased it went well for you. I'm facing the same prospect soon so it's encouraging news.

[frankthebank]

Thanks for the post, it seems I'm heading that way and it's been stressing me out, so it's nice to read some positive news about the opp. Happy for you and all the best with your recovery ❤️

[Decorator123]

Hi I had the same Surgery 10 days a go Like you no pain or anything to moan about and after 3 days wasn’t feeling the stitches pressure was 21 now 4.

[Welshsailor in reply to Decorator123]

hi, how come they opted for surgery?

[Cornwalleyes in reply to Welshsailor]

Sight in one eye was slowly deteriorating and I was on the max eye drops that you can have. So surgery my best bet to stop it getting worse. I have normal pressure glaucoma so pressures with drops were only 11 or 12 but in one eye I was still getting more damage to the optic nerve. Pressure in that eye after op is 6/8, although it can change up to 8 weeks after op.

[HMThai]

Good reading!....... Good Morning from Thailand and Monsoons!

[Picklepuss12]

Hi. Did you have a general anaesthetic or local? Did you have to use eye drops afterwards every two hours 24/7? Thanks.

[Cornwalleyes in reply to Picklepuss12]

I did have a general anaesthetic, it wasn’t necessary, the consultant was happy to do it under a local, but I am a bit of a baby and preferred to be completely unaware of what was going on. The eye drops are every two hours but only during the day, not at night. then you have to wear a plastic shield over the eye when in bed to make sure your eye doesn’t get knocked. I also have a check up due later this week.

[Picklepuss12 in reply to Cornwalleyes]

Thanks so much for this. I’m trying to gather as much info as I can! I was “forgotten” about by the NHS. Covid happened obviously but I should have been recalled for monitoring and wasn’t resulting in visual field loss and higher pressures.

[Cornwalleyes in reply to Picklepuss12]

Oh no, so sorry to hear that. I think I have to go for a check up every week for four weeks after the op, although the consultant did say he would see how things were going as the appointments might not all be needed. I hope you have stabilised now.

[Picklepuss12]

Thank you. Blood tests and MRI next followed by another appointment with Consultant then a decision will be made. Thanks for your help.

[hubswife]

Thank you so much for going to the trouble of doing this. I am slipping down the trab route I think and am at last chance saloon stage with drops. I am worried about the op going wrong and also about how long and difficult the recovery is. Your post is of great comfort. Thank you once again.

[Cornwalleyes in reply to hubswife]

I’ve just seen the consultant for my first check up a week after the op, my vision is as before, just a sight test not VF. Pressure was 7 , I have normal tension glaucoma so it was always around 11/12 before. So all good so far, back again for another check up next week. Still no lifting, swimming, etc, lots of drops and eye shield to wear at night.

[Wales99 in reply to hubswife]

Hi. Just wanted to reassure you that the recovery really isn’t that bad. You very quickly get into a routine with the eye drops & the time goes very quickly. My husband washing my hair was hilarious & I honestly found the time went very quickly. I downloaded some audio books & podcasts & found that really helpful. Plus I am a real tele addict & a Netflix fan! I did find I could still read as well though. Honestly the thought of the op is the worst thing. Take care & good luck 😊.

[hubswife in reply to Wales99]

Thank you so much for your reassurance. Hubbo would not be able to wash my hair due to a medical problem and I hadn't realised that I would not be allowed to so forewarned is forearmed.

Thanks again.

[Wales99 in reply to hubswife]

Hi- oh no sorry that was misleading. You can wash your hair. You just need to be careful about getting water in your eye. After the first disastrous attempt of him washing it I did it myself. Just put the eye shield on & taped it up well. It was fine 😊

[hubswife in reply to Wales99]

Ah OK. Just me being a bit thick then! That's good news. Thanks for rectifying.

[chris4146]

I was terrified before I had mine done, but I'm 2 1/2 years down the line and it has saved my sight from getting worse,it's nowhere near as bad as what I had imagined in my head,I would tell anyone to go ahead , everyone looks after you and you will be fine.

[Cornwalleyes in reply to chris4146]

Yes, that’s exactly what I would say to anyone now!

[Hidden]

Thanks for sharing, I'm having the same operation tomorrow at the Royal West of England Eye Unit in Exeter so it's reassuring to hear how yours has gone. Best wishes for a swift recovery.

[Cornwalleyes in reply to Hidden]

I’ve had my second weekly check up now, so three weeks since op, and consultant still pleased with how it’s going. I’ve had a sight test and I’m roughly the same as before, although that could still change a little.

Very best wishes for your op, x.