Glaucoma therapy usually focuses on management of the condition because a cure has yet to be discovered. Some of the different types of glaucoma therapy include eye drops, laser surgery, regular surgery, and canaloplasty. A drainage implant may also be used to reduce fluid pressure in the eye. Treatment for glaucoma depends on whether the condition is chronic, which means it is getting slowly worse over time, or acute, which means it has developed quickly.
There is no known cure for glaucoma, but there are still plenty of options for managing the problem. The general goals of glaucoma therapy include avoiding damage to the nerve and preventing further loss of vision, while at the same time affecting the person’s life as little as possible. Any damage to the nerve cannot be repaired, so quick diagnosis and treatment is important for best results. Identifying the cause of the problem and monitoring the treatment’s progression is essential for successful therapy.
Most people who are diagnosed with glaucoma start with eye drops. The type of drops which are suitable depend on how long the condition has been present, the current medical situation of the patient, and whether particular eye drops cause any unwanted side effects. Some of the most common glaucoma eye drops include beta blockers, prostaglandin analog, and sympathomimetics.
Laser eye surgery is one of the most common techniques for managing the condition. Although laser glaucoma therapy is usually only a temporary solution, it can open up the drainage tubes in the eye which can minimize symptoms. Laser treatment for glaucoma is usually a painless option and is often used when eye drops are unsuccessful.
Regular surgery is also used as a glaucoma therapy. The most common surgery involves removing a part of the eye which may block fluid from draining away, which can then reduce pressure within the eye. Other operations use different techniques to increase fluid pressure, including widening the drainage system and installing a fluid shunt. There are a number of potential problems with glaucoma surgery, including the potential build up of scar tissue within the eye.
Canaloplasty can sometimes be employed as a glaucoma therapy. It is a treatment that uses a small catheter to increase the size of the eye’s drainage channels. The idea is to open up the channels and decrease pressure in the eye. Although this treatment may provide short term benefits, the long term effects are not yet known.
