Glaucoma is an eye disorder causing irreversible damage to the optic nerve and leading to severe vision impairment and blindness. There are various variations of the disease and most of them are characterized by high intraocular pressure.
Various glaucoma treatments are available. In general, their aim is lowering the pressure inside the eye and thus reducing the damage done to the optic nerve. Glaucoma treatments are prescribed even in people with normal eye pressure (low-pressure glaucoma patients).
The exact glaucoma treatment is usually determined after a thorough eye examination and depends on the type of glaucoma and its progression. Since glaucoma is a progressive eye disorder, the treatment may need to be adjusted or changed after some time.
The most common glaucoma treatments are medications, laser glaucoma surgeries and incision glaucoma surgeries.
Eye drops for glaucoma. Eye drops for glaucoma are usually the first medication a person with glaucoma is prescribed. There are various brands and types of eye drops for glaucoma – some stimulate the drainage system of the eye while others inhibit the production of fluid inside the eye. Regardless of the exact type, glaucoma medications are generally aimed at lowering the pressure inside the eye and keeping it within normal levels. People with chronic glaucoma can manage the condition for many years just using eye drops for glaucoma. However, following strictly the routine prescribed by your eye doctor is of utmost importance for the success of the treatment.
Laser surgery for glaucoma. Laser surgery is a glaucoma treatment for both open-angle and narrow angle glaucoma. People with open-angle glaucoma usually need surgery to help their medication treatment. People with acute narrow-angle glaucoma are considered medical emergencies and in all cases undergo laser glaucoma surgery. There are several different laser surgeries for glaucoma: trabeculoplasty (used to open the drainage system of the eye), iridotomy (used to make tiny openings in the iris in order to improve fluid circulation inside the eye) and cyclophotocoagulation (reducing the production of fluids inside the eye).
Eye surgery for glaucoma. Typically, an incision eye surgery for glaucoma is aimed at creating new drainage system in the eye. The two most common incision glaucoma surgeries are trabeculectomy (during the surgery, new drainage channels are created) and glaucoma implants (tube shunts). Incision glaucoma surgeries are usually prescribed to people with chronic glaucoma as an edition to their medication treatment.
Tags: glaucoma treatments, narrow angle surgery / improved vision, glaucoma eye drops exercise
