I was just wondering how many patients of my age have had the Trab op and are ok now? Being 88 I just feel that I maybe unable to look after myself and eyes properly if I go ahead and have that op or any other op. I'm pretty sure that I'd have to have a general as I am very fidgety and cough a lot so lying still for an hour I would not be able to do! I do not have any help at home and relations are a long way away and so I have to look after myself.
Thank you
Hello.
Lots of people experience success with trabeculectomies.
They are usually performed under local anaesthetic, but sometimes under a general anaesthetic. If you are worried about coughing or fidgeting, then this may be something that you wish to discuss with your eye specialist.
You may experience blurriness after your surgery, which might make being alone difficult. You will also need to be able to use eye drops after surgery and be able to administer them yourself as you are alone.
I would suggest bringing up your concerns with your eye specialist and see what they can suggest to help.
We have a useful booklet on our website about trabeculectomies:
glaucoma.uk/wp-content/uplo...
I hope this helps.
thank you Keiran
I have had a trab in each eye, I had a general both times as I also would not be able to lie still for an hour. I was still allowed out the same day as soon as they were sure the effects of the anaesthetic had worn off. It would be good to have someone to get you home and maybe with you the first night but after that I am sure you can manage on your own. You may have blurry vision, but I didn’t, you will have to do your eye drops every couple of hours and obviously you have to be careful what you do, but if you look after yourself now I am sure you will still be able to after the op. Good luck
thank you for your reply, but due to my deafness I am very unsteady and find it difficult to do things so I would be worried about whether I'm putting the drops in correctly even tho I do manage the existing drops but it all seems to so much to do.........I suppose I may manage with a nurse or someone to call?? Sad aren't I haha!!
It’s hard to know what it’s going to be like post op, everyone is different. It’s stabilised both my eyes and after the fear of the first one I breezed through the second. You have to do what’s right for you.
Cheers for your advice.....I wouldn't be so worried if I had someone here I could rely on to help with these drops that you say have to be every 2 hours...I think I would get very confused with it all...still, when my consultant rings up on the 28th and speaks to a hearing person who she said I must have here on that day at 11am, I will try and find out what will happen should I actually go for the op.......as I am very unsteady on my feet and often crash into doors and walls etc I started thinking about what the op says re keeping still and steady and not doing this or that or bending down etc etc.
Thanks for all your advice and saying how youve handled it all.
Hi. I had a Trab five weeks ago. I am 80 and live on my own although my daughter who picked me up after the op did stay the first night, but that was mainly because I had to go back at eight the next morning to have it checked. I avoided too much bending and lifting, but pretty much carried on as usual. If I had to have the other eye done in the future I would personally opt for a general anaesthetic, but that is a personal choice.
thanks for your reply Granny79 and I do have 4 daughters but they all live a long way away, I know they would help me if they could but they have their own lives and family so I dont feel as if I could ask them to help.
I know what you mean though. I hate asking them although my both my daughters and grown up Grandsons say you only have to ask.
I did have conflicting advice from the nurses at the Eye Hospital and the Consultant one said carry on as normal and the other said no lifting or carry anything heavy .
Hi, I had a trabulectomy in my left eye some years ago and it largely stabilised my eye. I wasn't offered a trab in the right eye and this has continued to deteriorate and is now largely useless. I was was very well looked after by the Community Eye Clinic. My eye was well anaesthetised. I was very comfortable during the operation and could easily have dozed off. A very great success. I have recently been advised to put drops in the left eye once a day but this is no burden at all. I hope it works well for you.
many thanks for your reply. My consultant is going to call me on the 28th but as I cant hear anything on a phone she said I must have someone here to take the call......I don't know what it will be about but am guessing it will be re a Trab which I have previously refused due to probs with getting to the eye hospital etc and not being able to look after myself and the eye after an op!
I just remember the operated eye was covered in bandages which were on for a few days but I could use the other eye. It wasn't a big deal at all: and without it I would be in deep trouble now. My experience was all good. Hope you have the same.
Thank you for your reply, the consutant called and as I am profoundly deaf, spoke to someone who was here and said she would like to do a Micro Shunt on my right eye and also on the left eye but its all a bit too much for me to take in as to what I may have to do post op. I would find it difficult to cook with only one eye and am not sure if I would be able to carry out all the 6 drops she said it would mean. I'm very unsteady on my feet and so it would not be good for the eye to be knocked around in an unsteady manner. I would also have to worry about trying to get to the eye hospital which is 20 mls away and the bus is very uncomfortable.
Thank you, Graham
If you are deaf then the health service needs to make adjustments for you. Maybe you need a face to face conversation and possibly you need to ask to stay in overnight. Get a push adaptor for eye drops. to make it easier.
Trab with sedation
Trabs and sports
Trab went well
Post trab expectations 
Post Trab pressure rise
