WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: What do I need to know about canaloplasty? A canaloplasty is surgery to relieve increased pressure in your eye caused by glaucoma. How do I prepare for canaloplasty? Your healthcare provider will talk to you about how to prepare for surgery. He may tell you not to eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of your surgery. He will tell you what medicines to take or not take on the day of your surgery. What will happen during canaloplasty? You may be given a shot of medicine in the area where the surgery will be done to numb the area and dull the pain. You may instead be given medicine to keep you asleep and free from pain during the surgery. Your surgeon will make a small incision in your eye to reach the drainage canal. Your canal will then be widened with a gel-like material that is injected through a catheter (thin tube). A stitch will be placed inside the canal and tightened. This stitch helps to keep the canal open. The incision on your eye may be closed with stitches. What are the risks of canaloplasty? You may have a collection of blood in the front part of your eye. Another part of your eye may be damaged during the surgery. Your eye pressure may decrease too much or increase. You may develop cataracts (cloudy vision). |