Eye Surgery

When do doctors recommend eye surgery?

Doctors may recommend eye surgery in many different situations, including:

• Angle-closure glaucoma
• Open-angle glaucoma that doesn’t respond to eye drops or laser therapy
• Cataracts that interfere with normal daily visual tasks
• Late-stage diabetic retinopathy
• Detached retina
• Eyelid deformities that cause eye damage or visual problems
• Severe nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism
• Crossed eyes (strabismus)
• Cone-shaped cornea (keratoconus)

Several other eye problems could require surgery as well. In general, doctors only recommend surgery when patients have an eye problem that isn’t treatable with nonsurgical methods. 

What does eye surgery involve?

Eye surgery varies dramatically based on the procedure and the problem that led to it. At Northwest Eye Specialists, the practice uses the latest leading-edge equipment and techniques for eye surgery, including a state-of-the-art robotic eye surgery system that maximizes precision. Some of the most common eye surgeries at Northwest Eye Specialists are: 

Glaucoma surgery

The elite surgeon at Northwest Eye Specialists is fellowship-trained in glaucoma management and treats all types and stages of the disease. Glaucoma surgeries focus on improving intraocular fluid drainage by opening blocked or clogged pathways inside the eye. Or, surgery may involve creating new paths for the fluid to leave the eye.

Sometimes, patients need a small tube-shaped implant, the XEN® gel stent, to improve fluid drainage. Glaucoma surgery and cataract surgery can be combined for patients who have both eye diseases. 

Cataract surgery

Cataract surgery is another area of special skills and focus at Northwest Eye Specialists. In cataract surgery, your eye lens is removed, which also eliminates your cataract. 

Then, an intraocular lens (IOL), a clear implant containing the appropriate vision correction, is placed in your eye. The practice uses the most innovative new equipment and protocols for cataract surgery, including the Optiwave Refractive Analysis (ORA)™ system that makes real-time IOL calculations during surgery to select the best possible IOL.

What is recovery like after eye surgery?

After eye surgery, recovery is generally fast and comfortable. Advanced approaches like robotic surgery allow for tiny incisions, which minimizes the usual complications of surgery, such as pain and infection risk. 

Northwest Eye Specialists provides detailed directions for recovery. Most people can resume light activity within a day of cataract surgery, and around a week or two for glaucoma surgery.

Schedule your eye surgery consultation by calling Northwest Eye Specialists, or book an appointment online now.