Glaucoma

Learn more about Glaucoma from an eye doctor in your area!

InfoCenter

March 10, 2010

Glaucoma info and access to doctors who specialize in Glaucoma!

About Glaucoma
InfoCenter

Glaucoma InfoCenter is an Internet resource that offers you information about Glaucoma. Glaucoma InfoCenter does not offer medical advice or referrals.

Glaucoma Treatment

Early diagnosis and treatment can help protect your eyes against vision loss related to glaucoma. People at risk for glaucoma should have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once every two years. Glaucoma treatment cannot cure the condition, but it can dramatically slow or temporarily halt its progress. An early diagnosis will help to lower the eye pressure in glaucoma’s beginning stages and help to slow the progression of the disease.

Glaucoma Diagnosis

Glaucoma is often diagnosed by measuring the pressure of the fluid in the eyeball, known as the intraocular pressure. Sometimes it is necessary to make a series of measurements over time to confirm the diagnosis. The simplest test uses a puff of air blown against the surface of the eye. For measurements that are more accurate, the eye specialist will numb the eye before performing a quick test. The procedure takes only a moment and is painless.

Glaucoma Medications

Glaucoma medications are either topical or oral. Eye drops are usually the first treatment prescribed by eye care professionals. These treatments usually include prescription eye drops, eye ointments or medication inserts for the corner of the eye. These medications will work to reduce pressure within the eye by increasing the outflow of fluid from the eye, or by reducing the amount of fluid the eye produces. Your ophthalmologist can also prescribe oral medications to treat glaucoma. Patients will be started on one or a combination of drugs to alleviate glaucoma symptoms, but if drug treatment fails, the ophthalmologist may recommend glaucoma surgery.

Laser Surgery

There are three types of glaucoma laser surgery that can be performed. Trabeculoplasty surgery is used to treat patients with open-angle glaucoma. A laser is used to increase the aqueous outflow in the area surrounding the laser spot, relieving pressure within the eye. Iridotomy surgery is used to treat closed-angle glaucoma. Iridotomy uses a laser to make a small hole in the iris, allowing it to fall away from the fluid channel so that fluid can drain. Cyclophotocoagulation surgery uses a laser to burn ciliary tissue, which decreases the production of fluid in the eye. This procedure, performed under local anesthesia, is used to treat patients who have failed to respond to other types of glaucoma surgery. Many patients will require more than a single treatment. The procedure appears to have significant success and relatively low risk.

Traditional Surgery

In some cases laser surgery will fail to lower intraocular pressure (IOP), and the surgeon may recommend conventional glaucoma surgery, known as trabeculectomy, or filtering surgery. It is an outpatient procedure and involves the removal of a tiny piece of the eye under the eyelid. This creates a new drainage path that increases the outflow of fluid from the eye. As a rule, elevated eye pressure can be managed with eye drops, medication, laser treatment or surgery.