What if glaucoma surgery doesn work?
Glaucoma surgery is delicate and requires precise healing. Fifteen to 20 percent of glaucoma surgeries are not successful. Most of the failures occur because the healing process cannot be controlled perfectly. If there is too much healing, the opening closes up, and the pressure goes up. If there is not enough healing, and the drain is letting too much fluid out, the pressure may drop too low. Sometimes it may be necessary to continue glaucoma medication after surgery. If the glaucoma is still not controlled, another operation may be advised.
