Proper Glaucoma Treatment Can Prevent Blindness

Glaucoma is often referred to a the silent killer as the patient affected by it does not even realize that there is something seriously wrong with his power of vision before it is too late. It is considered to be one of the most common causes of loss of vision. Since the disease spreads without any early warning signs whatsoever, you would not even know of its presence until significant damage has already been done.

Glaucoma happens when the optic nerve behind your eyes is damaged. This is often combined with excessive pressure inside the eyes. Optic nerve is a group of minute wire-like nerves clustered behind our eyes, which carry images to our brain for further comprehension. With the condition of optic nerve worsening, blind spots appear in your line of vision. If glaucoma is not treated, it can ultimately lead to complete loss of vision. While it is possible to treat glaucoma, particularly when diagnosed and recognized during the early stages, but once you have the disease, it would require continuously getting your eyes examined and monitored, because the treatment might continue for life.

Glaucoma treatment essentially involves diminishing the eye pressure and enhancing or reducing the aqueous flow. The treatment options are topical eye drops, systemic drug therapy, laser therapy, surgery or a prudent combination of one or more of these.

If your eye pressure is not abnormally high and you are not suffering any serious vision problems, the doctor may not go for any treatment and simply advise you to get your eyes checked frequently, to keep the progression opf glaucoma under a careful watch. In case your vision is seriously hampered and your eye pressure is significantly high, the doctor may opt for one the glaucoma treatments mentioned above.

Medicated eye drops are the most common form of starter therapy used for the treatment of glaucoma. This form of treatment should not be taken too lightly, as missing the regime may worsen the glaucoma situation further. Since these eye drops get into the blood stream, some side effects are expected. It has been seen that once the optical pressure is reduced, the progression of glaucoma is also significantly retarded.

Surgery is the last option for doctors. It comes into the forefront of therapy option, if and when there is some problem in sticking to the medicines prescribed or the therapy fails to yield desired results. Some doctors also prefer to go for surgery as a starting treatment and it has been found to be equally effective in controlling the disease. Beta blockers, alpha-adrenergic agents, epinephrine compounds are some of the medications used in eye drops meant for the treatment of glaucoma.

Like nearly all surgical interventions, glaucoma treatment with surgery is also not without post-surgery complications and side-effects. Infection and bleeding are two very common complications which may rise after surgery. The intraocular pressure may get abnormally high or low and may result in permanent loss of vision. Development of cataract is also considered to be another side effect of a glaucoma surgery. The good news is that most of these side effects can be effectively treated.