Hampshire patients set to benefit from world first surgery developed in the county

Patients across Hampshire with complex glaucoma will benefit from an innovative surgical technique developed by Mr Ahmed Elbably, an advanced glaucoma surgeon at Newmedica Hampshire.

Glaucoma Intrascleral Tube Surgery is a novel surgical technique designed to offer treatment options for patients with advanced and complex glaucoma to improve long-term pressure control by reducing post operative scarring.

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness globally. The condition damages the optic nerve, often due to elevated pressure inside the eye, and can lead to permanent vision loss if left untreated.

Many glaucoma operations help lower pressure inside the eye by creating a new pathway, using small drainage tubes, for fluid to drain from. This helps protect the optic nerve from further damage.

While these procedures are effective for many patients, scar tissue can sometimes develop during the body’s healing process. This scarring may reduce how well the new drainage pathway works over time, meaning some patients require further treatment or additional procedures.

Glaucoma Intrascleral Tube Surgery is a new surgical technique developed to specifically address this challenge and has launched at Newmedica Hampshire.

Rather than placing the drainage tube using the standard approach, Glaucoma Intrascleral Tube Surgery positions the tube within a small pocket created inside the white wall of the eye, known as the sclera. This is designed to spread the fluid more widely and protect against the scarring process that can compromise long-term surgical success.

Debbie Brian, who is 65 and lives in the New Forest, has described her positive experience following the Glaucoma Intrascleral Tube Surgery technique after years of complex eye problems.

Diagnosed with glaucoma at 55, Debbie initially managed the condition with drops and later laser treatment.  However, after her right eye pressure suddenly rose, she faced a difficult period involving several operations, significant sight loss and repeated episodes of uveitis.

In April 2026, Debbie’s eye pressure rose again to a very high level requiring further surgery. After visiting the Newmedica Hampshire clinic, Mr Elbably offered her the opportunity to have the Glaucoma Intrascleral Tube Surgery.

She said: ‘By the time I’d visited the Hampshire clinic I’d had many operations on my eyes and the Glaucoma Intrascleral Tube Surgery technique was offered to me because of my complex diagnosis.

‘Ahmed put me completely at ease, he has a very constructive and positive approach as well as being a first-class surgeon.  The operation itself was pain-free, and my recovery was remarkably quick compared with the trabulectomy I had received four years previous.  I am now doing very well, pressure is good, eye is back to where it was and I am not aware of any further sight loss. I truly believe that the Glaucoma Intrascleral Tube Surgery procedure was the best route for me and I am so very happy to have been given the opportunity to experience it.’ 

Mr Ahmed Elbably, Advanced Glaucoma Surgeon at Newmedica Hampshire and developer of the Glaucoma Intrascleral Tube Surgery technique, said: ‘The aim of developing Glaucoma Intrascleral Tube Surgery was to improve outcomes for patients with the most challenging forms of glaucoma, particularly those whose eye pressure remains difficult to control despite conventional surgery, as in Debbie’s case.

‘One of the greatest limitations of existing glaucoma drainage surgery is the development of post-operative scarring. By creating a protected intrascleral drainage pathway, we hope to improve long-term surgical success and provide a new option for patients who previously had very limited choices.

‘After several years of developing and refining the technique, I am delighted to be able to offer Glaucoma Intrascleral Tube Surgery at Newmedica Hampshire. Seeing the positive impact it has already had for patients has been incredibly rewarding, and I hope this innovation will contribute to the continued advancement of glaucoma surgery both in the UK and internationally.’

The Glaucoma Intrascleral Tube Surgery technique has recently been published in an international glaucoma journal, marking an important milestone in the development of this novel surgical approach and helping to bring the innovation to a wider ophthalmic audience.

Newmedica Hampshire, which is based at Solent Business Park, provides a range of NHS-funded and private treatments, delivered by experienced consultant ophthalmologists and a dedicated clinical team, including undertaking cataracts surgery and YAG laser treatment. It also carries out oculoplastic surgeries and treats ocular hypertension.

The clinic is owned and led by Mr Elbably alongside, Chris Berry, Serafeim Antonakis, Bhaskar Gupta, Aby Jacob and Varajini Joganathan.

For more information, visit www.newmedica.co.uk/clinics/hampshire or call 01489 250118.