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Glaucoma laser treatment
A few minutes of light, fewer bottles.
Laser treatments can lower eye pressure, open a crowded drainage angle or reduce the fluid your eye makes. Many are done in the office in a few minutes.
Laser can be a first step, not a last resort.
In a large UK study of 718 people, about three in four treated first with laser to the drainage tissue needed no glaucoma drops three years later.
Types of glaucoma laser.
Trabeculoplasty
Laser energy helps the eye drain fluid more easily.
Iridotomy
A tiny opening in the iris helps a narrow angle drain.
Ciliary body laser
Reduces the amount of fluid the eye produces.
No incision
These treatments are done without cutting the eye.
Quick visit
The laser itself usually takes only minutes.
Can be repeated
Some lasers can be repeated if the effect fades.
What the visit feels like.
Numbing drops are used, and you sit at a laser that looks like the microscope used in your eye exam. Most people feel little or no discomfort.
Pressure is checked afterward.
Your doctor checks pressure after the treatment and again at follow-up to see how well it worked.
Narrow angles
Not every narrow angle needs laser.
A large study found that people with narrow angles but no glaucoma progressed slowly, so doctors decide case by case whether a preventive iridotomy makes sense.
Ask who performs it.
Ophthalmologists perform glaucoma lasers, and in a growing number of states trained optometrists may as well.
Questions to ask before laser.
Which laser, and why?
Ask what the treatment is meant to do for your eye.
Will I still need drops?
Some people can stop or reduce drops; others still need them.
What should I expect after?
Ask about follow-up visits and any activity limits.
After a glaucoma laser.
Glaucoma care is a long-term plan.
Laser is one tool. Regular pressure checks, nerve scans and side-vision tests continue afterward.
Keep exploring.
Fast answers.
Does glaucoma laser hurt?
Most people feel little discomfort. Numbing drops are used for laser to the drainage area.
Will laser cure glaucoma?
No. It lowers pressure to help protect vision, and ongoing monitoring is still needed.
Can laser replace eye drops?
For many people it reduces or replaces drops, at least for a time. Your doctor will check how well it works for you.
How long does the effect last?
It varies. Some lasers can be repeated if pressure rises again.
Find a glaucoma doctor near you.
Use the Vision Rescue doctor locator to find an eye doctor who treats glaucoma.
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Sources and notes
- National Eye Institute: Glaucoma
- LiGHT trial, Lancet 2019
- AAO summary of the ZAP trial
- Exam-room and showroom photography are owned Eye Care Advisors assets approved for use by Vision Rescue.
- Full source list: Vision Rescue sources
This page is for general education and is not medical advice. Only an eye care professional who has examined you can recommend what is right for your eyes.
