Comfort
Local Anesthesia & Sedation
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. A mild form of sedation is used, so you will be comfortable with minimal pain, if any at all.
Trabeculectomy Surgery
When medications and laser have not been enough to control glaucoma, trabeculectomy — also called glaucoma filtration surgery — creates a new drainage pathway to lower eye pressure. Berg-Feinfield Vision Correction offers this procedure, serving the greater Beverly Hills and Burbank, CA areas.
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When Trabeculectomy Is Needed
When medications and laser surgery have been inadequate to control glaucoma and further loss of vision is otherwise inevitable, surgery is the next step.
Trabeculectomy, also called glaucoma filtration surgery, is sometimes performed before other treatments based on the type of glaucoma and how advanced it may be. It can also be combined with a cataract operation when both conditions coexist.
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What to Expect During Surgery
Trabeculectomy is performed in an operating room, with steps designed to keep you comfortable throughout.
New Drainage
Creating a Filtering Pathway
A new drainage system is created with the tissues of the eye so aqueous fluid can drain out and lower the intraocular pressure. Sometimes a small tube is inserted to control the flow.
Prevents Scarring
Antifibrotic Agents
In most cases, an antifibrotic agent such as Mitomycin C or 5-Fluorouracil is used to help control the excess scarring that is the most common cause of surgery failing.
How the Filtration Works
The goal is to give the fluid inside the eye a new route out, so the pressure can come down.
Aqueous fluid, produced in the front part of the eye, is directed through the new drainage pathway to underneath the conjunctiva — the outermost layer covering the eye — where a small reservoir called a “bleb” is formed. The fluid is ultimately absorbed by the blood vessels and tissues of the eye, lowering the intraocular pressure.
Recovery & Follow-Up
Careful follow-up in the weeks after surgery helps guide healing and protect the new drainage system.
After surgery, drops will be used for several weeks to help with the healing process. Follow-up visits with the doctor may be very frequent in the early period, depending on how your eye is healing.
Follow-up visits after trabeculectomy may be very frequent at first; the schedule depends on how your eye is healing.
Why Choose Berg-Feinfield
Glaucoma is rarely cured but rather controlled — and glaucoma filtering surgery is a very effective way of achieving that control.
Good control means the disease is not progressing and no further damage will occur. When medications and laser are no longer enough, our surgeons use trabeculectomy to lower eye pressure and preserve the vision you have, guiding you closely through healing and follow-up.
Explore Glaucoma TreatmentGlaucoma is rarely cured but rather controlled. When drops and laser are no longer enough, trabeculectomy offers a very effective way to bring eye pressure under control.
Our experienced ophthalmologists can determine whether trabeculectomy surgery is the right next step for you.
Trabeculectomy FAQs
Answers to common questions about trabeculectomy surgery at Berg-Feinfield.
When is trabeculectomy surgery recommended?
Trabeculectomy is considered when medications and laser surgery have been inadequate to control glaucoma and progression with further loss of vision is otherwise inevitable. Depending on the type and severity of glaucoma, it is sometimes performed before other treatments.
What is the goal of the surgery?
The goal of glaucoma filtration surgery is to create a new drainage system with the tissues of the eye so aqueous fluid can drain out and lower the intraocular pressure. Sometimes a small tube is inserted to control the flow of fluid.
Is trabeculectomy painful?
The procedure is performed in an operating room under local anesthesia. Because a mild form of sedation is used, you will be comfortable with minimal pain, if any at all.
What is a “bleb”?
Fluid is drained to underneath the conjunctiva, the outermost layer covering the eye, where a small reservoir called a bleb is formed. The fluid is ultimately absorbed by the blood vessels and tissues of the eye.
What is recovery like?
After surgery, drops are used for several weeks to help with healing. Follow-up visits may be very frequent at first, depending on how the eye is healing.
Can trabeculectomy cure glaucoma?
Glaucoma is rarely cured but rather controlled. Good control means the disease is not progressing and no further damage occurs, and glaucoma filtering surgery is a very effective way of achieving that control.
Schedule Your Glaucoma Surgery Consultation
Ready to discuss your options? Request an appointment or call our team to find out if trabeculectomy surgery is right for you at Berg-Feinfield Vision Correction.