Glaucoma Treatment Options
Glaucoma affects a large number of populations in the United Arab Emirates and can lead to irreversible blindness if left untreated. While researchers and clinicians are still working on a cure for glaucoma, some general practices can slow down glaucoma and reduce or prevent its adverse effects. The purpose of glaucoma therapy is to reduce the pressure within the eyes of a patient to a safe level.
Your Role in Glaucoma Treatment
Glaucoma is a silent illness. It usually does not cause pain and does not affect vision until the disease is progressed. As people with glaucoma typically do not experience symptoms, in particular at the early stages, it is not surprising for them to skip their drops or follow-up appointments.
If you have glaucoma, regardless of the stage, the wisest thing you can do is to use your prescription medication even if you notice no symptoms of glaucoma. (Waiting for your medication symptoms, it may be too late.) Compliance with your medication and adherence to your planned follow-up are the best ways to prevent progression and surgery.
Eye Drops
A wide range of eye drops can manage glaucoma, so consult with your ophthalmologist about what is best for you. Eye drops are used to treat glaucoma have different functions. It relaxes the eye muscles to decrease pressure build-up, others decrease the amount of aqueous humour that the eyes produce, and still, others raise the amount of aqueous humour which drains from the eyes. Ophthalmologists can prescribe several eyes drops with different action mechanisms for a patient depending on the severity of glaucoma.
Pills
Occasionally, the ophthalmologist prescribes pills to treat glaucoma instead of or besides eye drops. Pills are usually an option if patients need medicines to reduce their eyes’ aqueous humour.
Surgery
If eye drops or pills that were prescribed, do not slow the progression of glaucoma, your eye doctor may recommend a laser procedure. There is a wide range of laser procedures that can significantly reduce or remove the side effects of glaucoma today.
In addition to lasers, several surgical procedures can treat glaucoma as well. These procedures help decrease intraocular pressure to levels that control glaucoma adequately and stop the progression of the disease. Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), an office-based procedure which can lead to more efficient drainage of aqueous eye liquid, is offered by Jansons Medical Centre Eye Care ophthalmologists. We lower the intraocular pressure of your eyes in less than half an hour with a laser to develop a chemical change within drainage tissue. It allows your eye fluid to drain more effectively.
Have any questions about glaucoma treatment?
Our ophthalmologists at Jansons Medical centre Eye Care are committed to safe and efficient glaucoma therapy. Check out our other glaucoma resources and contact our office for an appointment today.
