What is the Best Treatment for Glaucoma?
If you’ve been diagnosed with glaucoma, you may be wondering what is the very best treatment. The dedicated team at Elmquist Eye Group would be delighted to inform and educate you about treatment options while we do our best to preserve your vision.
Over 30-million Americans are affected by glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, macular generation, and other eye conditions, and everyone from throughout Southwest Florida has been coming to Elmquist Eye Group for more than 25 years.
With state-of-the-art technology, our doctors provide a full spectrum of eye care services in a comfortable and caring setting.
Glaucoma: Non-Surgical Treatment
Glaucoma damages the optic nerve, usually because the fluid pressure inside the eye is too high. This is not always the case, however; some people have normal fluid pressure but still get glaucoma.
Each person’s eyes are unique, and the treatment for glaucoma will depend upon the nature and severity of the disease. Although glaucoma cannot be cured, it can be controlled when detected and treated at an early stage.
Early onset glaucoma can often be treated non-surgically with prescription medicines, including pills and eye drops, that can help decrease the elevated intraocular pressure associated with the disease and postpone the need for more invasive surgery.
There are several types of pressure-lowering eye drops for glaucoma, and each type works differently. Some people find a specific eye drop more comfortable than the others, and some people experience side effects. Your doctor will work with you to choose the best treatment for your unique eyes.
Glaucoma: Surgical Treatment
Laser Surgery
There are several types of laser surgery that can be very effective in treating glaucoma.
When treating open-angle glaucoma, the most common form of the disease, the laser surgery is called trabeculoplasty. It is used to improve the process of fluid drainage from the eye to control internal eye pressure.
When treating closed-angle glaucoma, the rarer form of the disease, laser surgery, called peripheral iridotomy, is often used for people who have narrow drainage angles or have had closed-angle glaucoma in only one eye.
In both surgeries, the doctor uses a laser beam to make small changes in the eye’s drainage system to allow fluid to flow normally and to lower the intraocular pressure that is causing optic nerve damage.
Conventional Surgery
If you are not a candidate for laser surgery, or when medications and laser treatment have not successfully lowered your eye pressure, your ophthalmologist may recommend conventional surgery, the most common of which is called trabeculectomy. It involves creating a new bypass drainage channel so that fluid can drain from the eye and eye pressure can be reduced. This procedure is used in both open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma.
We encourage you to visit Elmquist Eye Group to find out what is the best treatment for glaucoma. Our specialists will go over the risks and benefits of each procedure and help you decide which option may be best suited for you. Get in touch with us today at (239) 936-2020.