Goniotomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure designed to remove the trabecular meshwork tissue blocking fluid drainage, thereby allowing the free flow of fluid into the eye's natural drainage system.
The Surgical Procedure
During the surgery, through a tiny incision in the cornea (which often serves for the combined cataract surgery as well), the surgeon uses a special microscopic device (such as the Kahook Dual Blade or similar instruments) to carefully 'peel away' a strip of the dysfunctional trabecular meshwork. This procedure exposes the main canal (Schlemm's canal) and immediately improves drainage.
Safety and Recovery
Because no foreign body is implanted in the eye and no external filtering 'bleb' is created, recovery is very fast, similar to recovery from standard cataract surgery. It is a safe and effective treatment that dramatically reduces the need for eye drops.