Bleb Needling

[stephanie1977]

Hello! I am going to have a bleb needling a year after my trabeculectomy. If anyone has had this please share what it was like and how effective it is. Thank you!

[CaisterLivie]

Had needling done under local anaesthetic. It was fine, no pain afterwards, was back at work the next day. It took about 45 min & lowered pressure enough. It was much easier than initial Trab surgery. Good luck.

[stephanie1977 in reply to CaisterLivie]

Nice news! Thank you!

[Ritualhazard in reply to CaisterLivie]

I had three lots of needling in the first two months after my trab as it kept scarring up. First two times were in clinic with no anaesthetic (yes, it was traumatic) but didn’t work. Final time was back in theatre, local anaesthetic and took nearly two hours. I took a week off work afterwards as it was an extensive procedure. But five months later my pressures are still around 11 which is perfect for me. Hope that helps

[stephanie1977 in reply to Ritualhazard]

Wow what an ordeal Ritual hazard! But I assume worth it if your pressures are 11..that's what I need! Thanks for sharing

[Bellamolly60 in reply to Ritualhazard]

excellent

[AlfredV]

I've had several needlings in theatre. My last one was a few years after the trab and brought the pressure down from around 18 to 14, which the consultant was happy with.

[stephanie1977 in reply to AlfredV]

Thanks AlfredV, I would be happy with 14 too!

[RunnerWithPG]

I had a trabeculectomy on my left eye in February. Two weeks after my op my pressure hit 56mmHg! Eye doctor managed to bring pressure down to 20 or so with drops, tablets & massage. Over the next week both sutures were removed, but pressure was still mid 20’s. Had a bleb needling, and the day after pressure was about 5mmHg! It slowly crept up over the next week and has now settled around 16mmHg. The procedure only needed drops for anaesthetic- no injection. It only lasted about 10 minutes, and not painful at all. Vision was slightly variable for a week or two before it settled down.

[stephanie1977 in reply to RunnerWithPG]

Thank youRunnerWithPG. ..Since posting I'm beginning to feel more positive. Seems like there is hope for my trab eye after all.😀

[RunnerWithPG in reply to stephanie1977]

To give a bit more context, after my pressure hit 56, I bought a home tonometer, so I’ve been able to monitor my pressure very closely. After the needling it was 4 the next day. It kept climbing over the next few days, and I was worried it was going to keep climbing. First thing after I wake up I did have some readings in high 20’s, but it always dropped to normal range within a few minutes. Consultant says it’s due to the cornea drying out at night, and nothing to worry about. Because I’m able to monitor the pressure myself, it’s put my mind at rest. I lost most of my sight in my other eye last year due to my Glaucoma going out of control. Trabs in both eyes has definitely got pressure in both under control at the moment. Good luck with your needling!

[Hidden in reply to RunnerWithPG]

Hi RunnerWithPG, you said you lost most of your sight in one eye due to it becoming uncontrollable. Is that because you weren’t monitored enough?

[RunnerWithPG in reply to Hidden]

Possibly. My pressure was 25 last June. I was advised to take an extra acetazolomide tablet each day for 7 days. Then, in September, I noticed my vision was very blurry in that eye. Emergency cyclodiode laser seemed to make the vision much worse, and didn’t help with the pressure. A subsequent trab sorted the pressure out.

[Hidden in reply to RunnerWithPG]

That must have been very scary for you. The home tonometers sound good and depending on what my first hospital consultation says, I will be looking into that. They re expensive though aren’t they and I don’t have much spare cash !

[RunnerWithPG in reply to Hidden]

My tonometer has been fantastic! It’s really helped put my mind at rest about my left eye. They are very expensive- if you’re in the UK though, and buying it for personal use, you should be able to get one VAT free if you sign a declaration form. (There’s a government scheme which exempts medical goods from VAT under certain circumstances).

[Hidden in reply to RunnerWithPG]

Thanks! Great advice, that will save some money!

[PBX142 in reply to RunnerWithPG]

Hello, am interested that you bought yourself a tonometer...Could you kindly give us a bit more info, ie where you bought it and the cost excluding the VAT? Many thanks.

[RunnerWithPG in reply to PBX142]

Sure!I bought an iCare Home 2. Mainline instruments are the authorised distributor in the UK, and as far as I'm aware the only place you can buy them in the UK. They're not cheap - £1995 + VAT, but you should be exempt from VAT if it's for personal use. The tonometer uses disposable probes which Mainline also sell. iCare also make some tonometers which are used in hospitals too, and work on the same principle. First time I used mine it took me a little while to get the hang of it, but now I can take readings from both eyes in seconds. Those readings seem to be consistent with those taken by the doctors I see at hospital using the usual Goldmann tonometers. Here's a link: main-line.co.uk/products/ic...

[PBX142 in reply to RunnerWithPG]

Thank you for this detailed reply! Very helpful to know...I am sitting on the fence about this and have done for some time as I'm worried - and of course the price is a consideration - that I would be taking readings every five minutes, and that if my pressures had risen, I would be freaking out that I didn't have an eye appointment for weeks ahead....I think I will ask my consultant at next appt and get her feedback as she knows what a nervous nellie I am. Many thanks again.

[RunnerWithPG in reply to PBX142]

It's definitely worth speaking to your consultant. I asked my consultant what kind of pressure I needed to be worried enough about to be calling the hospital. Even then a one-off reading can be wrong, so it's only worth worrying if you've a series of readings which are over.

[PBX142 in reply to RunnerWithPG]

Thanks, that seems sensible advice!

[Vich81]

Hello. I had a trab in my right eye 12 years ago and needling a year later. I have had no other surgery to that eye since. I’ve had SLT and my eye drops. I’m 41. As I was a big emotional wreck I begged them to put me under for it and I later felt ashamed as it was so quick. I’ve had cateract surgery in the left eye since so I think I’d be a bit braver in future. I don’t remember there being any problems after the needling itself. The name, needling literally gave me nightmares! It makes it sound so scary. You have to remember these doctors do it all the time. Just follow the recovery guidance and use any drops afterwards. Good luck

[stephanie1977 in reply to Vich81]

Thank you Vich81 !