My mother is in need to a Trabeculectomy procedure for her wide angle
glaucoma that she has been treating with eye drops for 20 some years
and she's trying to pick a surgeon. Question is: How difficult is
this operation? Would having a great surgeon matter, or are chances for
success more linked to individual eye health/luck? Her MD is the chief
of staff of the hospital practice and a Glaucoma doctor who is famous
for his research work. She likes him and knows he's brilliant, but
operating and publishing are two different things.

Factors:
-77 years old
-Prior surgeries with SLT laser which caused huge cataracts and retina
fluid damage, done by the doctor who now wants to operate on her. Scar
tissue in one eye caused either by SLT (but I doubt it) or the lazy eye
operation
-Nystagmus causing eye movement
-Years of taking 4 different eye drops multiple times daily.
-Big cataracts caused by age and SLT surgery (doctor will not admit
surgery was a factor)

Before she decided to consult with the chief of staff of the hospital,
she had a surgeon who, although he's not world famous for his
research is one of the 2 top surgeons in the city. (Chief of staff is
new and is a brilliant researcher).

After years of her pressure being in the 20's from an MD who retired,
she changed medicines and her pressure was in the 40's, so she chose
to consult with the surgeon who was known for his excellent work. He
wanted to operate immediately, but she chose instead to go with the SLT
laser. The SLT later was repeated 3 times and although it kept working,
it stopped working in the long run and she went back to 40 last week,
despite that the first time the SLT was done, her pressure was 18 in
both eyes. I begged her to move to get the surgery then, but she was
reluctant to do so.

Now I would still like her to go back to the doctor known to be an
excellent surgeon but if the operation isn't that difficult, it
won't matter where she gets the surgery done.  I'm sorry I'm
being vague here, but we are closely coming upon her time for surgery
and we have to beg surgeon #1 for a chance to even see him and it's
even hypothetical that she can get an appt with him.

We need to hurry with making a decision of either begging the doctor
she consulted with previously to do the operation, thereby cutting ties
with current one, or if the surgery isn't that difficult, stay with the
doctor who is the brillant one but you know nothing of his surgical
technique. This seems ridiculous to say, but he just seems
klutzy...sorry to offend anyone out there. My logical part of my mind
is saying that there's no way he'd make it this far being a
klutz....I'm just nervious for mom who has a terrible time getting
around now.

Thanks in advance.