Glaucoma Implant Surgery

Glaucoma is a sight-threatening disease caused by excessive pressure inside the eye. If not treated promptly, it can result in permanent vision loss and even cause blindness.

Glaucoma implant surgery involves inserting a stent, a type of implant, in the eye to drain fluid and reduce pressure. Your eye doctor may recommend this procedure together with cataract surgery or when other glaucoma treatments and procedures haven’t been successful.

What Is Glaucoma Implant Surgery?

The purpose of glaucoma implant surgery is to reduce pressure inside the eye by implanting a stent to drain fluid. The implant is inserted inside the eye, in the ‘drainage angle,’ located between the cornea and the iris. Fluid leaves the eye mainly through the center of the implant or around it.

How Is Glaucoma Implant Surgery Performed?

A member of the surgical team will explain the procedure, including preparations, risks and guidelines for after-care. You’ll be given a topical anesthetic to eliminate pain and the surgeon will make an opening in your sclera, the white part of your eye. The surgeon will then insert the implant and position it to act as a tube, allowing fluid to drain from the eye.

The draining fluid won’t be discernible to a person looking at you. Surgery is performed in a clinic and may take as little as 1 hour, but may last as long as 3 hours.

What to Expect from Glaucoma Implant Recovery

After surgery and until your first post-op appointment the next day, you’ll wear an eye patch and a plastic protective shield over your affected eye. The next day, your eye doctor will examine your eyes, may prescribe medicated eye drops to prevent infection, and will schedule your follow-up appointments. Following the procedure, you may experience:

Blurry vision
Itchy eyes
General eye discomfort

These symptoms may last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Intraocular pressure may not drop immediately after surgery, but your eye doctor will monitor your progress periodically.

Glaucoma implant surgery has a similar success rate to other glaucoma treatments, such as trabeculectomy.