Glaucoma Treatments and Medications
The common feature is progressive damage to the optic nerve caused by high eye pressure, which can lead to permanent blurry or dimmed vision and could lead to blindness, especially if not properly treated
The diagnosis of glaucoma begins with a comprehensive eye exam, which might occur as a routine visit or a person might be having some difficulty that prompted seeking medical advice. The exam includes a dilated procedure where eye drops to dilate or enlarge your pupils to allow more light into your eye allowing a doctor to see inside the eye.
An ophthalmoscope might be used to check your eye’s interior and look for damage to your optic nerve and tonometry measures the pressure in your eyes.
If you have any of the following symptoms, you should seek immediate medical care, either with your ophthalmologist or at the emergency room:
Intense eye pain
Stomach upset or nausea
Red-eye
Blurry vision
Treatment aims to lower the pressure in your eyes, reducing the risk of additional vision loss. Any vision loss you experienced before treatment is permanent. There are several different types of treatment for glaucoma.
Prescription medications
Prescription eye drops are usually the first line of treatment. Medicated eye drops lower pressure in the eyes by either promoting drainage of the fluid or reducing the amount of fluid. “Generally, once you start eye drops for glaucoma, you will need them the rest of your life,”
Laser treatment and surgery
Laser trabeculoplasty is used for open-angle glaucoma and completed in your doctor’s office. During this procedure, a laser helps fluid drain out of the eyes and reduce pressure in your eye. You might see some swelling, experience eye irritation, or have blurry vision immediately after treatment. Most people return to regular activities the next day. Laser iridotomy treats narrow-angle glaucoma and chronic angle-closure glaucoma
