Hi.
I had a trabeculectomy nearly 12 months ago. Things seemed stable enough but the pressure in my operated eye is now back at 20, so the consultant has listed me for bleb needling. I’m trying to find out about the recovery time from this procedure. I was off work for 4 weeks after the trabeculectomy and it took months for the blur to correct itself. Needling sounds helpful for me, but it would be useful to know from others what their recovery felt like.
Thank you.
Rob
Hi Rob no experience of needling (yet) but interested in responses. Hope you don't mind I've followed you. Our treatment path seems to be going in a similar direction and similar age range too - thanks
Ah. Great. Thanks for your reply.
I found the needling procedure very straightforward and had recovered completely after a couple of days. It was very successful and kept the bleb working for another 10 or 12 years. At that point however, I had to start taking drops to keep the pressure at an acceptable level and, eventually, I needed an aqueous shunt which has been working well for the past couple of years.
Hi that's good to know. Did you have to have the needling repeated? Hope the shunt continues to do its job for a long time to come😊
A repeat needling was attempted nearly 3 years ago but was unsuccessful. The surgeon explained that there was so much scarring round the bleb that it had been impossible to clear it sufficiently to get it working again. That was when the decision was taken to implant a Baerveldt shunt. I will probably have to go down the same route with my other eye as the bleb has stopped working there as well. There is a complication with this eye, however, because I had a full corneal transplant 18 months ago and the stitches have not yet been removed. This sounds surprising but is quite normal. Until that happens it is difficult to get an accurate pressure reading but, through digital examination, my consultant feels sure that it is too high and that I will need a shunt fairly soon. I’m fortunate to be under both an excellent glaucoma consultant and corneal surgeon at the QE Hospital in Birmingham.
Hello, I found your post very interesting. Would you mind telling me the name of your consultant in Birmingham, please.
Hi there! Yes, I’m seen by Mr Agorogiannis for my glaucoma and by Professor Kolli for my corneal issues in the QE Opthalmology Department. Both are excellent and collaborate on my care.
Thanks for your prompt reply. I currently see Mr Imran Masood, who did my Paul Tube shunt in April last year. He’s very good but it’s still useful to have other recommendations.
Mr Masood was also my surgeon for the Baerveldt tube I had implanted two years ago. Mr Agorogiannis referred me to him at BMEC and I was told at my appointment with Mr M that I was on a waiting list. I was considered quite an urgent case because, at that time, pending my corneal transplant, I had practically no vision in my other eye. Unfortunately a mistake was made and it emerged after several months of waiting that I had not been added to the waiting list after all and could not be sure of getting the operation for several months more. By this time I had become desperate and so I elected to have the operation done privately by Mr Masood. As you say, he is very good but it was very expensive and I am hoping to have the shunt op on this second eye done on the NHS by Mr Agorogiannis assisted by Prof Kolli to protect the corneal graft.
I also had my Paul Tube implant done privately by Mr Masood! Cost me £9,000 (luckily I had some savings I could use) but there was no guarantee if I went via NHS that I would get him to do my Op, plus I couldn’t risk a possible long waiting list as my eyesight was deteriorating. I just hope I wont need the other eye doing! I’m seeing him on Thursday of this week, so fingers crossed all will be ok. It is such a worry.
Good luck with your appointment on Thursday! I’ll be interested to hear how you get on. I also have an appointment this Thursday with Mr Agorogiannis at the QE.
iI recovered very quickly though
My pressure went a bit low causing a few problems but that righted itself and pressure stabilised though I’m on drops as well. If I had been working - I’m retired - I don’t think I would have needed much time off apart from appointments. It was an easy procedure and quite pain free. Hope that helps.!
It really does help. Thank you, Simone. I very much appreciate your reply.
I had needling last year and was off work for just a week, it was a straightforward operation, better than the actual trabeculectomy..
Excellent. Thank you so much. That’s just what I wanted to read! Fingers crossed I have a very similar experience to you.
I had a Trabeculectomy 6 years ago, And needling a few months later. I’m a Postman & couldn’t risk working as I lift heavy weights in my job. I was off work 6 weeks each time.
Ah. OK. Thanks. I understand. I’m a social worker. The heavy weights are emotional!
was bleb needling supposed to be painful?
Struggling with depression 
