Dealing with Glaucoma: What You Should Know
When you go to the eye doctor for a checkup and potentially to update the prescription for your corrective lenses, the last thing you want or expect is to be told you have glaucoma. However, a glaucoma diagnosis, while unpleasant to hear, is not the end of the world. There are treatments available and ways to manage your glaucoma so that it does not progress further and cause any additional vision loss. So, get to know some of the treatments for glaucoma and you will be better prepared to deal with your new diagnosis. The sooner you get started, the better you will be able to prevent glaucoma-related vision loss.
Eye Drops and Other Prescription Medications
The first step of treatment for glaucoma is to use various prescription medications. Eye drops for glaucoma need to be taken regularly and daily in order to be effective.
These eye drops are designed to help relieve the pressure that builds up in the eyes as a result of glaucoma. To make sure that the eye drops have the maximum impact on the eyes, keep your eyes closed for a minute or so after administering them. You may also want to place slight pressure on the inner corner of your eye to prevent the drops from escaping the eye area through the tear ducts.
If your eyes are not responding as well as your eye doctor would like to the eye drops, you may also be instructed to take prescription pills along with the eye drops to further reduce pressure, inflammation, and discomfort.
A Surgically Implanted Stent
One of the newer options for treating glaucoma is through an extremely tiny implanted stent in the eye. This mini-stent is implanted into the eye to help relieve pressure by draining excess fluid from the eye.
The stent can help to reduce the need for prescription medications and makes the process of dealing with glaucoma easier. The stent is currently implanted when a person is undergoing surgery for another eye condition, cataracts.
Other Surgical Options
In addition to the stent, there are other surgical options for dealing with glaucoma that are available even if a person does not also suffer from cataracts. There are a few different types of laser surgery that are available to help relieve glaucoma pressure.
These laser surgeries use a small and precise laser to treat the trabecular meshwork in the eye that is responsible for draining excess fluid out of the eye. The laser opens up these passages by removing blockages.
Now that you know the options available to you to treat your glaucoma, you can get started in preserving and maintaining your vision and relieving any discomfort you may be experiencing. For more information, talk to a professional like Coastal Eye Care.
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