CHUA treats glaucoma with new non-invasive technique

A new non-invasive procedure for the treatment of glaucoma is now available at Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve.

This week, two glaucoma patients underwent ultrasonic ablation surgeries of the ciliary body, performed by the team from the Ophthalmology Service of Portimão.

This non-invasive technique allows "to treat the high intraocular pressure that led to glaucoma in these two patients, preventing the disease from worsening that can lead to severe loss of vision or even a situation of irreversible blindness," according to CHUA.

Glaucoma is a serious ophthalmologic disease that appears, in most cases, due to the increase in intraocular pressure caused by the imbalance in the production and drainage of aqueous humor (liquid inside the eye), which, in excess, leads to increased eye tension ».

This surgical intervention «consists of the partial destruction of the ciliary body, which is the organ that produces the aqueous humor, leading to a decrease in the production of this liquid, which will consequently lead to a decrease in intraocular pressure», explains Filipe Isidro, an ophthalmologist who carried out this procedure. procedure.

"This procedure, unlike other surgical treatments recommended for the treatment of glaucoma, has the advantage of being non-invasive, thus nullifying the complications of typical procedures that surgically create an "opening" (fistula) to drain the fluid, which entails always associated risks of infection, which can sometimes be serious», he added.

«It is therefore a safer technique, with much less side effects and that, in the long term, safeguards the eye» concludes the ophthalmologist.

Glaucoma is a serious disease, and most of the time it is only detected with a visit to the ophthalmologist or when it presents symptoms, which is usually at a very advanced stage of the disease.

Taking this into account, professionals urge people over 50 to see their ophthalmologist regularly to assess their eye health and, especially, the intraocular pressure, which can lead to glaucoma.