The surgery Pete Thornton is scheduled to have is called trabeculectomy. Trabeculectomy is a type of glaucoma surgery performed on the eye that creates a new pathway for fluid inside the eye to be drained. This is an outpatient procedure performed in the operating room. It is used to prevent worsening of vision loss due to glaucoma by lowering eye pressure. Dana Elcar had two trabeculectomies performed on his eyes in real life, several years before this episode aired.
The second time a clips show has been used as a MacGyver season finale.