Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery The New Approach To Glaucoma Treatment
Glaucoma is a common yet highly impactful eye condition. It can cause widespread effects in your day-to-day life, with activities such as driving and playing sports becoming more challenging. However, a new and innovative glaucoma treatment Dubai aims to improve your symptoms and restore your vision: minimally invasive glaucoma surgery. We will explore this procedure and its effects on your eye health in this article.
What is glaucoma?
An eye condition develops when the optic nerve, which connects the retina to the brain’s visual cortex, becomes damaged. A fluid build-up primarily causes it in the front of the eye that increases pressure within the eye. Although it can affect people at any point in their lives, those above 70 are more vulnerable. If left undiagnosed or untreated, glaucoma can gradually lead to a loss of vision. Therefore, identifying symptoms is crucial but could be difficult.
Many patients do not suspect they have the condition until it is picked up in a routine eye test. However, if you pay attention, you could pick up some of the signs. There are two main types of glaucoma, and the symptoms can vary between them.
Open-angle glaucoma
- Blind spots may be present in your central or peripheral vision of both eyes.
- Tunnel vision if the condition is in an advanced stage.
Acute angle-closure glaucoma
- Eye pain
- Blurred vision
- Severe headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Eye redness
- Halos around lights
What is minimally invasive glaucoma surgery?
Also known as MIGS, it is a procedure carried out by glaucoma specialists to lower eye pressure and prevent or reduce optic nerve damage. The group of operations that belong to this category has been developed in recent years to reduce the complications of traditional glaucoma surgeries.
The traditional glaucoma surgeries—trabeculectomy and tube shunt procedures— are major surgeries with many possible complications, though they are highly effective. These include double vision, eye infections, cornea swelling, choroidal detachment, retinal detachment, and vision loss.
On the other hand, MIGS surgeries reduce the prevalence of complications and are safer than standard procedures. The treatment typically uses microscopic-sized equipment and small incisions to correct the condition; they are minimally invasive and quicker healing.
They are divided into the following categories:
- Miniaturized versions of trabeculectom
- Internal or suprachoroidal shunt
- Trabecular bypass operation
- Milder, gentler versions of laser photocoagulation
Depending on your type of glaucoma, its effects, and your age and overall health, our glaucoma specialist will recommend a suitable MIGS procedure for you.
How effective is MIGS?
MIGS procedures have allowed us to lower the threshold for surgical intervention. Therefore, we can control your intraocular pressure better and preserve your vision at early stages without solely relying on heavy medication. However, the procedure is not yet consistent in its effectiveness. While some types only reduce the pressure by a small amount, others can have more significant reductions but require a longer healing time to recover eyesight.
At present, MIGS surgeries will not eliminate or replace the need for traditional glaucoma surgical procedures. However, they have significantly decreased the number of patients who require these procedures to control their intraocular pressure.
If you notice symptoms related to glaucoma, make sure to contact our eye clinic in Dubai and consult a specialist. They will give you the essential information and treatment to preserve your vision.
