Risks Of Glaucoma Drainage Devices
Many of the risks of glaucoma drainage devices are shared with trabeculectomy. Some, however, are unique to these implants. Following is a list of the more worrisome or more common risks.
Does It Matter Which Glaucoma Drainage Device Is Implanted?
The Tube Versus Trabeculectomy Study compared the Baerveldt® shunt to trabeculectomy[1]. How do we know that other “tubes” work as well as the Baerveldt®? Could some of the other glaucoma drainage devices work even better?
How Well Do Glaucoma Drainage Devices Work?
Evidence suggests that glaucoma drainage devices fail at a rate of approximately 10% per year.[3] This is similar to the rate of failure for trabeculectomy. By five years after surgery…
Types of Glaucoma Drainage Devices
Non-Valved Glaucoma Drainage Devices such as Molteno and Baerveldt and Valved Glaucoma Drainage Devices such as Krupin and Ahmed
Glaucoma Drainage Devices
For over a century it has been known that fluid build-up in the eye can result in loss of vision. It should come as no surprise, then, that the idea of shunting aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber into the space between the sclera and conjunctiva (subconjunctival space) has been around almost that long.
Does Everyone With Glaucoma Go Blind?
Earlier detection seems to be one of the key factors in whether someone is likely to go blind from glaucoma. Simply put, a person who has already lost some vision by the time of diagnosis is more likely to go blind[4] than someone who is diagnosed with glaucoma prior to losing any vision. It’s been estimated that 50% of people with glaucoma
How Common Is Glaucoma?
It’s believed that 60-70 million people worldwide have glaucoma. Approximately 3 million people in the United States alone have this condition
When Should Trabeculectomy Be Considered?
Enough is now known about Trabeculectomy surgery to recognize that it tends to work better (and carry less risk) for certain groups of people.
Trabeculectomy Glaucoma Surgery After Canaloplasty
Surgeons who do not perform (or only infrequently perform) Canaloplasty may have the impression that trabeculectomy cannot be performed after Canaloplasty. Why would this be so?
Risks of Trabeculectomy (Part 2 of 2)
Continuation of Risks of Trabeculectomy (Part 1 of 2) Late postoperative (after the eye has healed from surgery) Loss of vision Many patients who need to have glaucoma surgery have already lost a significant amount of vision. They would be expected to lose additional...
