Glaucoma is a chronic disease, that is, the damaged optic nerve cannot regenerate. The goal of treatment, therefore, is to slow down the progression of glaucoma and reduce the pressure in the eye, even in those patients in whom the pressure is normal at the time of diagnosis.
Treatment options are eye drops, treatment, or laser surgery. Teamwork between the patient and the kraff eye healthcare professional is important for the glaucoma treatment to be effective.
Pharmacotherapy
Drugs in drops. In most patients, glaucoma is controlled with eye drop medications that are applied daily to the eye and lower intraocular pressure until the disease is controlled. Some drops reduce the amount of fluid the eye produces and others lower the pressure by increasing the amount of fluid that comes out of the eye.
There is no perfect pressure for all patients. Depending on the degree of glaucoma and the pressure level that the patient has at the time of diagnosis, a more or less low pressure is sought. The ideal pressure for each patient must be individualized and is one that ensures that vision loss does not continue to advance.
The application of the drops varies depending on the medicine that is applied. Some drops are applied 1 time a day and others 2 or 3 times a day. Sometimes, it is necessary to do a treatment with more than one medication to achieve control of the pressure in the eye.
Laser treatment
Laser treatment is usually second-line and helps improve the eye’s filtration system. These procedures are usually done in the ophthalmological consultation and normal life can be carried out from the same day of the intervention.
Surgical treatment
When drug treatment is not enough to reduce pressure in the eye, sometimes surgery must be performed. Glaucoma surgery does not serve to improve the vision of patients, since the damaged optic nerve cannot regenerate, but to lower the pressure of the eye to the levels necessary to maintain vision.