Acute Glaucoma

[BD12x]

My mother has acute glaucoma and has lost her right eye due to this, she only has 40% of sight left in her left eye.

The pressure in her eye is not coming down with drops and she is also allergic to every eye drop the hospital have given to her.

The next step is Glaucoma surgery (trabeculectomy) her worry is that she may loose her 40% of sight she has left while getting the surgery. Either way the hospital have told her she is going to loose her sight if she does not take this chance and get the operation.

[Toby_from_London]

Hi BD12x,

I'm sorry to hear that; I know it's a difficult decision to make.

Have the hospital offered MIGS surgery, which is less invasive and therefore carries less risk, or is your mother not a suitable candidate and therefore the hospital feel her best chance of a successful outcome is a trab?

[BD12x in reply to Toby_from_London]

I don’t think she is a suitable candidate for that surgery as her eye sight is deteriorating so quickly. Thank you

[Toby_from_London in reply to BD12x]

If it helps I was in exactly the same position with a late glaucoma diagnosis and loss of vision in one eye. It was a difficult decision to make as at the time the other eye was undamaged, but Moorefield's advised surgery to prevent vision loss down the line, as IOP was increasing and by that point was over 40.

I had a shunt inserted (pressure is now 11) but there are many users of this forum who have had successful trab surgeries, who I'm sure will be in touch.

I wish your mother well.

[Trish_GlaucomaUK Partner]

Hello BD12x

As your mothers vision is deteriorating so quickly, her consultant feels that a Trabeculectomy is the best surgery for her. The main aim, as I'm sure your mum is aware is that it is important to reduce the pressure and stop anymore progression happening, reducing the risk of more sight loss, and maintaining the vision she has in that eye. Vision can change after a trab, normally only slightly, so a visit to an opticians to check her prescription will probably be something she will have to do.

Success rates for Trabeculectomies are high. It has been around for over 50 years and still classed as the gold standard surgery for people with glaucoma, in reducing the eye pressure.

[BD12x]

Thank you so much.

I will inform my mother on this information.

[1inana]

I was in very much the same position a couple of years ago and had a successful trabeculectomy. The pressure in my ‘good’ eye has stabilised and there haven’t been any problems. Wishing your Mum all the best.

[BD12x in reply to 1inana]

Amazing news. Thank you

[Nonswimmer]

Sorry to hear of your mothers situation. In 2002 I had a cataract operation on the right eye then Selective Lazer Trabeculectomy simply to bring down pressures, using azopt 3TD in December the pressure in my right eye was 11.

Having lost a lot of sight in my left eye the cararact op helped my pressures and improved my sight last November I passed the DVLA driving test.

[Cornwalleyes]

so sorry to hear this, I had a trabulectomy last year and have had no change to my eyesight. The surgery was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be either. Best Wishes to your Mum.

[Biosphere in reply to Cornwalleyes]

The surgery itself is very easy and the recovery time is short. I dont think they would suggest surgery unless it was necessary…esp the state the nhs is in now. I am 72 and have had trabs on both eyes and lead a very full life. I wish her well

[RunnerWithPG]

I had sudden high IOP in my right eye which did a lot of damage and has left the central vision very blurry & cloudy. I had a trab on the eye to try and save the remaining vision - that was last month. The op was no big deal, and pressure is now at 15 - having been at about 40. My left eye hasn’t lost any vision yet, but I’m having a trab on that next month - as a preventative measure. I’ve been advised that although there’s a small risk involved, it’s better to have the trab now and hopefully preserve all the vision I have, rather than wait until there’s damage and they can only preserve what’s left. I guess your mum is in a similar position - they can do the trab now, and hopefully she’ll still have her 40% vision, but postpone the trab, and the vision could worsen. It’s a horrible dilemma to be in, I’ve decided it’s best to listen to my consultant’s advice, but the bullet and have the trab asap.

[Peg99]

Hi

I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. Both of you must be very worried.

If it's any help, I had to have trabeculectomies in both eyes back in the 1980s to save the remaining 5% of sight I had. They worked and with a cocktail of drops and diamox since, I have kept my remaining 5% of sight.

Difficult decision for you make but I don't regret having the trabs done.

Good Luck to you and your Mum.

[Murdy1]

Sending positive thoughts to both you and your mum ❤️❤️