Glaucoma Surgery in Singapore
Pressure in the eye that is above this range may damage the nerve by affecting the blood flow to the nerve, or may directly damage the nerve itself. Sometimes, the nerve itself is unusually susceptible to damage even at a normal level of eye pressure. Most treatments for glaucoma therefore aim to reduce the eye pressure to slow down or stop damage to the optic nerve. People who have a family history of glaucoma are at higher risk and should be screened by an eye specialist in Singapore to check signs for raised eye fluid or other symptoms.
What to Expect from Glaucoma Treatment in Singapore
The initial treatment for glaucoma is usually with eyedrops to reduce eye pressure. Many of these eyedrops now come with convenient once or twice-a-day dosing and work for a large number of patients. Sometimes, 2 or 3 eyedrops may need to be combined to achieve a low enough eye pressure.
However some patients will need laser or glaucoma surgery to control their eye pressure when even multiple eyedrops provide unsatisfactory control. Laser treatment for glaucoma usually involves enhancing the drainage of fluid from the eye or reducing the production of fluid, resulting in a drop in eye pressure. This can be done at our eye clinic in Gleneagles Medical Centre.
Glaucoma surgery is usually quick and effective and is done as day-case surgery. With adequate anesthesia, surgery is painless. Certain chemicals may be used at the time of glaucoma surgery to reduce the amount of scarring at the surgical site and improve the success rates of surgery. Following surgery or laser treatment, eyedrops are prescribed to reduce inflammation and infection and will need to be instilled usually for a few weeks to months.
During the assessment and follow-up of glaucoma, our eye doctor will need to assess several parameters to determine whether the glaucoma is progressing. These include a visual field assessment, the eye pressure, and the size of the optic nerve hollowing (or cup-disc ratio).
A visual field assessment is a common investigation used to determine glaucoma progression. An automated machine projects light in the patient’s field of vision, and the patient responds by pressing a button if the light is seen. The machine then goes on to map the area of functional vision by assessing which parts can and cannot see the light. This process takes about 5-10 minutes for each eye, and gives the doctor an idea of the function of the eye and its optic nerve, and how much vision has been damaged by glaucoma. At EyeWise Vision Clinic, our eye doctor uses the Humphrey Visual Field system, which is the gold standard in glaucoma assessment.
If you have a family history of glaucoma or blindness in the family, especially in immediate family members then it is best for a thorough eye screening from our eye specialist in Singapore to rule out glaucoma. During its early stages, glaucoma has NO symptoms and no pain. Because of this, it has often been labelled “the silent thief of sight”.
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Visit a Glaucoma Doctor in Singapore
EyeWise Vision Clinic provides eye care services to ensure you get the treatment you need for any eye impairments or diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy, among others. Book an appointment with our glaucoma specialist in Singapore for assessment, consultation, and proper treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Glaucoma Treatment
Untreated glaucoma will lead to blindness within several years, but you can get treatment to slow down the progression of blindness or prevent it. You can visit our glaucoma doctor in Singapore for an eye screening, so you can catch glaucoma at its early stages and prevent the loss of sight.
About Dr Christopher Khng
Dr. Christopher Khng, specialises in Complex Cataract and Anterior Segment Reconstruction Surgery, in particular, Iris Reconstruction and Surgery for Aniridia. His other areas of expertise include Complex Lens surgery, New Lens and Phacoemulsification technologies, Refractive surgery, Phakic IOLs (the Implantable Collamer Lens, ICL), and small-incision, topical anesthesia phacoemulsification cataract surgery.
He completed his first two years of medical undergraduate studies in Aberdeen University, Scotland (UK), finishing top in his medical class in both years. Because of cost, he completed his medical degrees of MBBS at National University of Singapore (NUS).
Dr. Khng served as Registrar, then Associate Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC). Following his stint in SNEC, Dr. Khng was a Consultant at The Eye Institute, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
Dr Christopher Khng
MBBS, M.Med(Ophth), FRCS(Edin), AMS(Ophth 2003) Consultant Ophthalmologist