Glaucoma op needed. Advice sought please.

[pvn]

I have had glaucoma in my left eye only for more than 20 years. Now (aged 66) the hospital has told me that I need an op (trabeculectomy) to drain the fluid in the eye as eye drops are no longer controlling the pressure. From research it seems that laser treatment is a viable, and less invasive, and less risky, procedure. The hospital have not mentioned this option and I rather feel I'm being herded down the surgery route. Does anyone have any experience of either treatments please? I go back to the eye hospital next Thursday and I think they will expect a decision from me but at the moment I don't feel I have all the information at my finger tips.
Many thanks.

[Norfolkaston]

I had Laser Peripheral Iridotomy about 18 months ago. This was an outpatient procedure and took about 30 minutes.

I was told that it was a laser procedure used to lower eye pressure in patients with narrow-angle glaucoma, so not sure if this would be appropriate to your condition.

They give you a local anaesthetic in the eye using drops and then fire a laser to create a channel for pressure to escape from.

[pvn]

Many thanks for your reply. The procedure you had seems to be the one described on the NHS website which would be applicable to me. Glad it went well for you. Cheers.

[gus607]

I too had the laser treatment three years ago,straight forward procedure took about ten minutes if that. Pressures have been fine ever since.