• Reference Number: HEY1605/2025
• Departments: Ophthalmology Department
• Last Updated: 31 March 2025

Introduction

This leaflet has been produced to give you general information. Most of your questions should be answered by this leaflet. It is not intended to replace the discussion between you and your doctor but may act as a starting point for discussion. If after reading it you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a member of the healthcare team.

What is Cyclodiode laser?

The diode laser is a highly concentrated beam of light, which can be used to target and treat a selected area. Sometimes, laser treatment is recommended in order to avoid or delay the need for more invasive surgery to lower your eye pressure. The diode laser is used to produce very small burns in the ciliary body, which produces the watery fluid called aqueous humour, and is situated behind the iris (coloured part of your eye). The reduced production of aqueous humour causes the eye pressure to fall.

What is Micropulse laser?

Micropulse laser is similar and works in the same way as cyclodiode laser but uses shorter bursts of laser energy and therefore may cause less inflammation.

What happens on the day of treatment?

The treatment takes place in the operating theatre. You will be asked to attend the Day Case Unit in advance of the treatment time. Further instructions about this will be given in the letter discussing your admission. The doctor will take your written consent and explain further if you have any questions.

The procedure is usually done under local anaesthetic but may be done whilst you are asleep under general anaesthetic. This will be discussed with you. The local anaesthetic involves eye drops that numb the front surface of your eye and an injection in the skin around your eye, which will make the area around your eye go numb. The injection will sting for a few seconds. The numbness may last for a few hours and can affect your vision at the time.

The laser is then applied through the sclera (the white of your eye) using a pen like instrument. At the end of the procedure, an injection of steroid is given under the conjunctiva (lining of the eye) to help reduce inflammation that may occur following the laser treatment. You will not feel this as your eye will be numb. An eye pad and a clear plastic shield will be applied over your eye. It is important that you do not drive, and you may wish to arrange for someone to take you home. You will be given eye drops to take at home. You will probably need to continue your glaucoma eye drops (and or tablets); the doctor will advise you of this before you leave. You will receive an appointment to come back to the clinic.

Are there any risks or side effects of this treatment?

Immediately afterwards your eye may look bloodshot. This may result from the injections given to the skin of your eye. Your eye may feel slightly bruised afterwards and sometimes become inflamed. The eye drops will control any inflammation and help to relieve discomfort.

You may wish to take a pain relief medication, for example paracetamol, to relieve this discomfort. If you are already taking pain relief medication for a different condition continue with these, but do not take both.

Loss of vision may occur after the treatment, although this is uncommon, and may be related to particular types of glaucoma affecting up to 1 in 20 patients. These risks will be discussed with you by the doctor before your treatment.

Over 8 out of 10 (80 %) of patients who have their eyes treated by cyclodiode laser and 7 out of 10 (70%) for micropulse laser have a successful lowering of eye pressure. The effects of the laser can wear off in time but may last for months or years. The treatment can be repeated if necessary.

Contact information  

The information in this leaflet is intended as a guide only, as each patient’s experience will be different.  If you require any further information or advice, please contact a member of staff on the telephone numbers below.

Do not wait until your next appointment, but contact us immediately, if you have any urgent symptoms such as:

• Increased redness of your eye
• Vision disturbance such as double vision or loss of vision
• Increasing pain

Contact Telephone Numbers

Tel: 01482 608 788 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (Option 3)

 Out of Hours / Weekends and Bank Holidays

Tel: 01482 604 385 or Tel: 01482 604 346

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about you

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.