trabulectomy - how was the experience?

Eye care
1

Hi

just wondering what people's experience was of having a trabulectomy? the idea of being aware while someone is poking about sounds horrific. but the opthalmologist said that general anaesthetic carries too many risks.

any tips on what to do during surgery so as to not be aware of what the surgeon is doing?

Thanks

2

My partner had left eye trabeculectomy under general anaesthetic September 2016. Everything went well, she was home five hours after admission, and was on eye drops for six weeks. She had no problems with the anaesthesia but the eye drop regime was horrendously complicated. The had the general anaesthetic because her consultant wasn't satisfied that she could keep still for 45 minutes!

3

Hi. I had a Trabeculectomy in July last year under General anaesthetic because I suffer with a chronic illness and would have been unable to cope with the anxiety of the procedure under a local anaesthetic. The only after effects I had was extreme tiredness for 12 hours and I vomited once. But no major problems. I had to follow a strict regime of eye drops for 3 months afterwards - it was useful to keep a timetable of the different drops and cross them off as you go. I also had to see my surgeon daily then weekly for the first 5 months after and I had to inform DVLA about the operation and had to have a special eye test monitored by them (just a simple field test)before I was allowed to drive again. Good luck with everything

4

yes these eye drop regimes don't really take into consideration that life needs to be lived inbetween....

glad that all went well after her op.

i might push harder for general anaesthetic.

thanks

5

that's a good idea about the timetable. 

going to be a challenge managing drops and going in to work....

thanks

6

Has anyone had this done without a general anesthetic? how was the experience?

7

Hubby Ralph had trab surgery on 5/30/18, all seemed to go fine until we went back for followup again on 6/4 and his pressure was 33, thus laser surgery to remove a suture or so on 6/6, pressure down to 14 this a.m.  Mega prednisone and antibiotic eye drops 4x daily plus his other eye med daily in both eyes (Simbrinza, Timolol, Lumigan and Pilocarpine.). The Pilocarpine is a constrictor so it isn’t a pleasant med at all.  Hoping for better days ahead.

8

oh my goodness - he's been through a lot. 

Not heard of philocarpine. but that regime of drops doesn't seem fun.

how did he cope with the operation itself?