Glaucoma treatment comes in different forms and the damage caused is usually permanent. The only way to address glaucoma is through regular check-ups and treatment. Regular check-ups will help slow down the damages and prevent you from losing your vision completely, particularly when you do this at the onset of the disease.
Treatment of glaucoma ranges from prescription eye drops to laser treatment, oral medications, surgery, or a combination of these treatments.
Prescription Eyedrops
At the early stages, glaucoma treatment usually starts with eye drops to reduce the amount of fluid that your eye produces, thereby decreasing your eye pressure. The type of eyedrop prescribed is usually determined by the amount of water that your eye produces.
Prescription eyedrop includes:
Prostaglandins: It reduces your eye pressure by increasing the amount of water that flows out of your eyes. Likely side effects are darkened iris or eyelid, blurry vision, stings, or mild reddening of the eyes.
Beta-blockers: Beta-blockers decrease your eye pressure by reducing fluid production in the eye. Likely side effects of this eyedrop include low blood pressure, breathing difficulty, fatigue, slowed heart rate, and impotence. Other eyedrops include alpha-adrenergic agonists, rho kinase inhibitor, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, and miotic or cholinergic agents.
Any of these eyedrops could be prescribed for you but when more than one is prescribed, use them at 5 minutes intervals.
Oral Medications
Your doctor may prescribe oral medication if eyedrops do not reduce your eye pressure. Oral medication typically includes a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. The likely side effects of oral medication include depression, stomach upset, frequent urination, kidney stones, and tingling fingers and toes.
Surgery and Other Therapies
When prescription eyedrops and oral medications are not effective in glaucoma treatment, your doctor will recommend surgery or other therapies.
The techniques recommended to lower your eye pressure include:
• Laser therapy: Recommended for those that have open-angle glaucoma.
• Drainage tubes: Involves draining out excess liquid from your eyes, thereby reducing your eye pressure.
• Filtering surgery: The filtering surgery involves a surgical procedure whereby a surgeon removes some part of the trabecular network from the sclera (the white part of your eye)
• MIGS ( Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery): Doctors suggest this procedure when the eye pressure is not low after other options. They’re safer than filtering surgery and draining tubes because there are many available options, but your doctor will determine the safest one for you.
Treating acute angle-closure glaucoma
If you’re diagnosed with acute-closure glaucoma, you will need to undergo emergency treatment that includes a combination of the various prescriptions, medications, and surgical procedures. The surgeon could take you through the laser peripheral iridotomy. This procedure involves the use of a laser to create a little opening in your iris to allow the flow of fluid out of your eyes and lower your eye pressure.
