NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL FIRST IN GEORGIA TO PERFORM
NEW GLAUCOMA PROCEDURE
For the first time in Georgia, glaucoma patients have a new minimally invasive treatment option that may help slow the progression of the disease. The procedure, trabeculotomy, performed with the Trabectome, is only available at Northside Hospital in Atlanta.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in the United States. An irreversible and progressive optic nerve disease, it occurs when fluid in the eye does not drain adequately, raising eye pressure. Left untreated, the disease can cause a loss of peripheral vision or even total blindness. Vision caused by glaucoma cannot be restored.
“The purpose of trabeculotomy, performed with the Trabectome, is to restore the eye’s natural plumbing system, help it to function better and prevent further damage to the eye,” said Dr. Reay Brown, the only certified Trabectome surgeon in Georgia and who performed the first procedure at Northside Hospital on July 24.
The procedure uses a small probe, the Trabectome, to open the eye’s drainage system, through a tiny incision in the cornea. Then, a small portion of eye tissue is removed to help the drain function better. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and usually takes less than 30 minutes. Patients recover much faster than with conventional glaucoma surgery.
However, not all patients with glaucoma are good candidates for trabeculotomy with the Trabectome, according to Dr. Brown. It should be used only when eye drops and laser trabeculoplasty fail to reduce pressure, but before trabeculectomy is considered. “Patients should see their personal ophthalmologists for a comprehensive evaluation to determine if they are a good candidate for the procedure,” he says.
An estimated 4 million Americans have glaucoma. Risk factors include age (60 years or older), a family history of the disease, African or Hispanic ancestry, past eye injuries, steroid use, diabetes and certain rare eye diseases. Regular eye exams are the best way to detect glaucoma and prevent unnecessary vision loss.
Northside Hospital is a leader in providing state-of-the-art surgical services, performing more than 35,000 cases annually – the most by any hospital in Georgia. The hospital is home to many of Atlanta’s finest surgeons – in a variety of specialties and the most state-of-the-art technology available in health care today. In 2008/09 Atlanta consumers ranked Northside #1 in Outpatient Surgery, Best Nurses and Most Personalized Care in the National Research Corporation’s (NRC) annual Healthcare Market Guide Study. New advances in surgical technology allow Northside to stay at the forefront of medicine and devote more time to providing the best patient care possible, enabling physicians to offer better outcomes and less-invasive surgery to patients.
