A new laser treatment to slow down the progression of glaucoma has been introduced at Frimley Park Hospital.

Glaucoma is normally treated using either tube devices, stents or traditional filtration surgery, help lower fluid pressure inside the eye and avoid further loss of vision.

The new innovative treatment, which is now being performed at Frimley, is implant-free and uses laser light energy to reduce the pressure in the eye and slow down further vision loss.

The procedure takes just minutes to perform and is usually carried out at the same time as cataract surgery. It is reported that the effects of the ELIOS laser treatment lasts up to eight years and around 80% of patients with mild to moderate glaucoma are medication-free within a year of surgery.

Glaucoma is an eye condition where the main nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, becomes damaged. It affects more than a million people in the UK and is most common in adults aged 50 and over and can cause vision loss if it's not diagnosed and treated early.

While existing damage to the optic nerve cannot be reversed, early treatment successfully lowers eye pressure to stop or slow further vision loss.

Mishank Jain, consultant ophthalmologist, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust said:

“Although there is no cure for glaucoma, early treatment can prevent the condition from progressing to the point where more complex surgery is needed. This new laser treatment helps slow its progression and can be performed in just minutes, enabling us to treat more patients. It also offers a lower-risk option than other glaucoma procedures, with a shorter recovery time.

“Frimley Health has an exceptionally busy eye department, and glaucoma affects a significant proportion of the patients we see, with more than 100 new referrals every month. As a team, we are committed to continually innovating and pushing the boundaries of NHS care by investing in the most advanced treatments available.”

Valerie Ann Stevens, 79, from Ash Vale in Hampshire, was one of the first patients to be treated at Frimley Park using the new ELIOS laser. Valerie had previously had the traditional filtration surgery in her right eye having already experienced significant vision loss. After her vision started to deteriorate in her left eye, she was offered the laser treatment.

Valerie said: “Recovery from my previous procedure was long, I had to wear an eye patch and follow a strict eye-drop routine for nine months afterwards. I’m hoping to recover quickly and get back to my watercolour painting, which has become increasingly difficult as my sight has deteriorated.

“The new laser procedure sounds marvellous and could make a real difference to many people. We’re lucky that this treatment is now available on our doorstep.”