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3 Types Of Treatments For Your Glaucoma

6 January 2015 by Julia Gregory

Glaucoma is a common yet serious eye disease that causes increased pressure inside the eye. This increased pressure is very damaging to the optic nerve, a part of your eye that is crucial for sight. Glaucoma is the most common cause of blindness, but fortunately, many treatments that can help preserve your sight are available. Here are three types of treatments that may be in your future.

Medicated eye drops

There are a wide range of medications that optometrists can use to treat glaucoma. These medications, which are delivered in eye drop form, work by lowering the pressure inside your eye. Beta blockers are a common type of medication that are used to treat glaucoma; you may already be familiar with them since they are also used to treat high blood pressure.

Some people need to take a combination of medications to properly control their glaucoma, so you may need to use multiple types of eye drops each day. If the eye drops don't work, you will need to take your medications orally.

Trabeculectomy

Trabuculectomy sounds scary but it is actually a fairly basic surgery, and the most common laser-free, surgical treatment for glaucoma. During this procedure, a small section of tissue will be removed from the drainage angle of your eye. This creates a small hole for excess fluids to drain through, which releases the pressure inside your eye. 

This surgery does not permanently cure glaucoma, so your optometrist will still need to monitor the pressure inside your eye. You may need further treatment, either with medications or with additional surgeries. 

Drainage implants

Drainage implants are a relatively new treatment for glaucoma. During this procedure, a small tube will be implanted in your eye. This tube will allow excess fluids to drain, which will lower the pressure inside your eye. The fluids drain onto the surface of your eye ball and will be absorbed by the veins in your eye. The tube is designed to not break down in your body, making this treatment safe and effective over the long term. 

Studies have shown that drainage implants have become more common than the traditional trabeculectomy procedure. Even so, drainage implants aren't a cure, so you will still need to see your optometrist regularly to make sure that your eye pressure is under control. 

Glaucoma is a serious disease, but a diagnosis doesn't mean that blindness is inevitable. Talk to an optometry clinic, like North Central Eye Associates Inc, about the best treatment plan for you so you can enjoy your vision for many years to come.

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