Glaucoma

About the service

At Imperial College Healthcare Private Care, we offer all the latest medical, laser and surgical glaucoma treatments available.

Our surgeons are leading experts in the field and have published their results in peer-reviewed papers, as well as frequently giving lectures nationally and internationally. 

Whether you have recently been diagnosed with glaucoma or you have long-term eye problems, at Imperial College Healthcare Private Care you will receive a personalised treatment programme from our highly skilled specialist team. All our consultants have undergone glaucoma fellowships and a careful and rigorous selection process before they work with us and are appraised annually.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is the most common cause of permanent sight loss in adults worldwide. It is a group of diseases in which the optic nerve becomes damaged over time, initially causing peripheral sight loss and later resulting in patchy vision. If left untreated, this can cause total blindness. The only proven treatment for preserving sight in patients with glaucoma at the moment is to lower the eye pressure. Treatment only preserves sight and cannot restore sight lost from glaucoma.

In order to prevent sight loss, it is crucial to have regular eye checks with an optician so early changes can be identified, and, if necessary, you can be referred to a specialist for treatment. 

Why choose us for glaucoma treatment?

Our ophthalmologists have a long history of involvement with national and international glaucoma research into new therapies and glaucoma treatments. The Imperial College Ophthalmic Research Unit is dedicated to the early diagnosis of eye problems and developing drugs and new treatment options for low vision and blindness. 

At Imperial College Healthcare Private Care, we offer all the latest medical, laser and surgical glaucoma treatments available.

Our NHS cataract outcomes are published on The Royal College of Ophthalmologists national database with full transparency of the excellent and safe surgery we offer.

All our procedures are audited to ensure the best care is being provided and your consultant surgeon can share their individual outcome data with you as well.

Cataracts and glaucoma combined surgery

Our glaucoma surgeons are some of the most experienced in the country, having performed over 2000 combined cataract and glaucoma MIGS (minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries) procedures. 

If you are a patient who has glaucoma and cataracts, then we can offer you combined cataract and glaucoma surgery to improve sight and lower eye pressure at the same time. The latest group of pressure lowering procedures or MIGS procedures can lead to a reduction in the number of glaucoma drops you will need to take, or, in some cases, allow you to stop taking glaucoma drops altogether. 

One of the minimally invasive procedures we offer to treat glaucoma is a small drainage device known as an iStent, which can be implanted at the end of cataract surgery. This tiny titanium stent improves the outflow of fluid from the eye, helping to lower eye pressure, which is often the main cause of glaucoma. The iStent is placed into the eye’s natural drainage channel during surgery. The procedure is short, usually adding only five to ten minutes to the cataract operation, and is performed under local anaesthetic. For patients who have already had cataract surgery, the iStent can also be implanted as a stand-alone procedure.

If the iStent isn’t suitable, we offer other innovative solutions to reduce eye pressure including the new MINIject device and surgical lasers. Our experts will discuss the most suitable option for you. 

Complex glaucoma

Our surgeons are very experienced at treating patients with complex glaucoma who, despite having previous laser or surgical procedures, require further intervention.  Our nationally and internationally recognised surgeons can provide second opinions and offer management for such complex patients.

The glaucoma surgeons are some of the most experienced at performing the different surgical laser procedures available and the implantation of very specialised glaucoma drainage devices for complex glaucoma.

Our surgeons were some of the first to use glaucoma drainage devices such as the eyePlate and the Ahmed ClearPath. They are also experienced with the other devices such as the PreserFlo MicroShunt and Paul Glaucoma Implant as well as the more traditional trabeculectomy which are all performed in patients with difficult to control glaucoma. The selection of procedure will be tailored for the patient.

Find out more about glaucoma treatment

If you are considering glaucoma treatment, our expert team can guide you through the process and make sure you feel confident about your decision. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation to find out more, please contact us:

Call: +44 (0) 20 3311 7700
Email: imperial.private.healthcare@nhs.net