Glaucoma is a progressive condition that causes vision loss and blindness. It slowly damages the optic nerve, so you may not be aware that you are losing your vision until too late. For this reason, you need to go for regular comprehensive eye exams. It is the best way to get ahead of glaucoma before it takes away your sight.

There is no cure for glaucoma. But if you catch it in its early stages, you can stop the damage and protect your vision. Be proactive about your visual health and get a comprehensive eye exam.

Treatment

It is not clear what causes glaucoma. But for many people, it results from high eye pressure. Hence, most of the treatments for this disease aim at lowering eye pressure.

There are various treatments, each depending on your circumstances. The treatments include eye drops, laser treatment, and surgery. It is also good to remember that treatment does not reverse vision loss—it only helps stop it from getting worse.

Treatment Plan

Treatment for glaucoma depends on your circumstances and the type of glaucoma. The most common type is the primary open-angle that calls for eye drop treatment. Others may need laser treatment or surgery. Here are the main treatments for glaucoma.

Medication

Medication is mainly in the form of prescription eye drops. There are various types of eye drops. However, they all work towards reducing the pressure in your eyes. Most eye drops require you to use them up to four times a day. The doctor may also prescribe oral medication like carbonic anhydrase inhibitors or beta-blockers. 

These drugs will slow down the creation of fluid in your eyes or improve its drainage. You must follow the recommendations to avoid further vision loss. Sometimes, it takes several tries before you find what works for you. Be patient and follow your doctor’s instructions.

Laser Treatment

If eye drops do not help improve your symptoms, laser treatment is the other alternative. It uses a high-energy light beam to drain fluid out of your eye. In the case of open-angle glaucoma, it slightly raises the flow of the liquid from your eyes. In angle-closure glaucoma, it stops fluid blockage.

There are different types of laser treatments that work on various areas of your eyes. Laser trabeculoplasty opens up the drainage tubes within your eyes. The second is cyclodiode laser treatment that treats the middle of your eye, destroying some of the eye tissues that produce the fluid. Lastly, laser iridotomy creates holes in the iris to allow fluid to drain from your eyes. All the treatments happen while you are awake and under local anesthetic.

Surgery

It is the last resort when medication and laser treatment fail. Trabeculectomy is the most common type of surgery. It involves creating new channels for fluid drainage by removing part of the eye drainage tubes. 

There are other types of surgeries that help reduce intraocular pressure. They include viscocanalostomy, deep sclerectomy, and trabecular stent bypass. Each aims at preventing further vision loss.

For more information on how to treat glaucoma, visit Positive Eye Ons at our office in Los Angeles, California. You can call (323) 651-5646 today to schedule an appointment.