3 Treatment Options For Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a somewhat common type of eye disease, yet it is not the type you want to get. If you were recently diagnosed with glaucoma, your eye doctor may have told you that there is no treatment option that is 100% effective for stopping the damage this disease causes. In other words, there are ways you can treat it; however, it could still end up stealing your vision from you at some point. Here are some of the treatment options your eye doctor may recommend.
Eye Drops
When an eye doctor first diagnoses glaucoma, he or she might recommend treating it with eye drops. The drops are designed to reduce the pressure in the eyes, which is helpful because high pressure in the eyes is a leading cause of glaucoma. The eye drops are also designed to help your eyes drain fluid in a way that is normal.
Eye drops can work well for many people with glaucoma; however, there is a downside. Using eye drops may have adverse effects to your health, depending on the way your body responds. The other problem with using eye drops is that it can be a hard habit to get into. Eye drops may work great for you if you use them as prescribed, but they are easy to forget. If you forget to use them, the symptoms of your glaucoma can worsen.
Some doctors prescribe oral pills instead of eye drops. These are designed to offer the same effects, but you must remember to take them daily.
Laser Surgery
If you cannot get in the habit of using your eye drops or if they are not helping at all, your eye doctor may suggest laser surgery. Laser surgery is a common treatment option used for glaucoma, and it involves creating small holes in your irises. These small holes are designed to reduce the pressure in your eyes and allow the eyes to drain. Both of these effects are great for anyone with glaucoma.
Laser surgery tends to offer effective results for many people, but it does not always remove the need for using eye drops or other medication. In some cases, people will need to have this surgery repeated at some point in time, because the effects can wear off. In addition, having laser surgery for this purpose may increase your risks for developing cataracts.
Eye Stent
A third option available today for treating glaucoma is through an eye stent. An eye stent is a small device that is often made from silicone or polypropylene, and it is 20,000 times smaller than the lens placed in a person's eye during cataract surgery.
This stent is also designed to offer the same effects as the other treatment options, but it does it in a way that is slightly different. When the pressure and fluid in the eye builds up, the stent gives it a way to exit the eyes if the eyes cannot do it naturally.
Choosing an eye stent for treating your glaucoma offers several benefits over the other options:
- It is permanent: You will typically never need to have the surgery completed again.
- You will not need medication: Research in this subject shows the majority of people that get eye stents do not need to use any other type of medication.
An eye stent procedure takes approximately the same amount of time as having cataracts removed, and it is minimally invasive. It is also safe and offers great results for most people.
If you are diagnosed with glaucoma, you should take this seriously. Without the right treatment, this disease could prevent you from seeing. To learn more about your treatment options, contact resources like Country Hills Eye Center.