The Best Treatments For Patients With Glaucoma

By Tammie Caldwell


Glaucoma can be treated with pills, drops, traditional surgery, laser surgery or a combination of these procedures. The goal of any treatment is to prevent loss of vision. The treatment aims to reduce the pressure in the affected eye called intraocular pressure. Any damage to your vision caused by glaucoma cannot be repaired so it is important to get an early diagnosis and treatment or prevent further damage.

Early diagnosis and treatment can lessen or prevent optic nerve damage and limit any related vision loss. It is important to get your eyes examined regularly and make sure that your doctor measures your intraocular pressure. Taking any medication as prescribed is essential to prevent more complications. You have to discuss things with your doctor to prevent further glaucoma San Antonio damage.

It is crucial to take drugs as prescribed especially if you are controlling the pressure of your eye. Since eye drops are absorbed into the bloodstream, tell your physician about certain medications you are taking. Actually, there are some drugs that can be harmful when mixed with other medications. While almost all eye drops may cause uncomfortable burning or stinging feeling at first the discomfort may only last for only a few seconds.

There are times, when eye drops do not sufficiently control the instraocular pressure or IOP, pills can be prescribed aside from drops. These pills may have more systematic side effects as compared to drops. These pills usually turn down the faucet of the eyes and reduce the production of fluid. These medications are taken from 2 to 4 times on a daily basis. Sharing this to your doctor is important so you will be given medications which will not cause dangerous interactions.

When medications do not show any positive result as desired, your ophthalmologist may advise you to take surgery. Laser surgery has become increasingly popular these days between medications and traditional surgery though longer success rates are inconsistent. This painless procedure only takes between ten to fifteen minutes and can be performed either in the clinic or in an outpatient center.

After the procedure, you may go back home and resume your activities. Your doctor will continue checking your condition especially for your IOP following the surgery. Though it usually takes weeks to determine the positive effects of the method, these times, you may continue taking your medications. Your doctor will determine whether you still need medications or not.

Complications from laser are only minimal which is why this method has become popular and some facilities are recommending the use of laser before drops to some patients. On the other hand, when drugs as well as laser therapies do not lower eye pressure, doctors may recommend a conventional surgical operation.

There are some patients who are no longer need any medication right after the method for a period of time. Usually, a trabeculectormy is used and considered as an outpatient procedure. Operative visits may also vary and activities like driving, reading, bending and heavy lifting should be limited for 2 to 4 weeks after the surgical procedure.

If you have been diagnosed with this vision problem, your condition will be monitored to check for further damage to your vision. Checkups may depend on how your glaucoma is progressing and require you to have further appointments in San Antonio TX with either an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.




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