Glaucoma Laser Surgery Specialist

What is glaucoma laser surgery?

There are several types of laser surgery available at Andrew M. Prince MD Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Surgery that focus on reducing pressure on your optic nerve.

Lasers use a beam of light to create a small opening in your eye tissues and improve fluid drainage in your eye.

What glaucoma laser surgeries are available?

To address your specific needs, Dr. Prince carefully evaluates your condition before recommending the right surgery. Available glaucoma laser surgeries include:

Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT)

SLT uses low-level laser energy to treat select cells without harming the rest of the drainage meshwork in primary open-angle glaucoma.

Argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT)

ALT treats primary open-angle glaucoma using beams of laser light to open fluid channels in the eye and increase fluid drainage. Following surgery, you still may need medications to regulate eye pressure.

Laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI)

LPI treats closed-angle glaucoma using lasers to create a small hole in the iris to drain fluids and reduce inner eye pressure.

Laser cyclophotocoagulation

Laser cyclophotocoagulation is typically useful when other methods aren’t working. This procedure uses lasers to reduce your body’s ability to produce eye fluid to keep pressure low.

What can I expect after glaucoma laser surgery?

Many of the glaucoma laser surgeries Dr. Prince performs can be on an outpatient basis, so you can go home to recover afterward. Depending on your needs, he can also carry out the surgery in a hospital setting.

Because laser surgery is minimally invasive, you can expect to heal quickly after your procedure and resume your usual activities within days.

Laser glaucoma surgery is highly effective at reducing inner eye pressure to prevent optic nerve damage. However, you may still need medications to maintain healthy pressure in the long term.

There are risk factors for developing cataracts following laser glaucoma surgery. If your vision becomes blurry due to clouded cataract lenses, Dr. Prince can discuss options for additional treatment to replace the cloudy lens with a clear, artificial one.

To find out if you’re a candidate for glaucoma laser surgery, call the office of Andrew M. Prince MD Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Surgery nearest you.