Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The Basics of Glaucoma Treatment

Glaucoma treatment methods have changed substantially over the past few years. Years ago in fact, there seemed to be no treatment whatsoever to help those with this eye disease. Today’s treatments are designed to better control and/or lower the intraocular pressure in the eye. Ocular hypertension or high IOP is a sign of glaucoma and can damage the optic nerve which carries impulses in the retina to the area of the brain that recognizes visual cortex. Damage to this nerve can result in loss of vision. Treating glaucoma before it becomes severe is important to preserve overall vision.


The first method of treatment for glaucoma involves eye drops that are used regularly. These drops can be very effective in controlling eye pressure and could prevent eye damage and prevent the need for surgical treatments for the disease. Before your eye doctor can prescribe the drops however, it must be determined that you are a good candidate for this treatment method. If not, surgical procedures may need to be done. Those who are typically not candidates for eye drops include those with poor general health and those taking medications for asthma and many heart conditions as the medication may interact with other medications being taken.


To determine whether or not these glaucoma treatments are right for you, you should consult with your family doctor as well as your eye doctor. Regular eye exams are crucial to detect this disease before it causes damage to your eyes. Glaucoma can cause blindness but caught early it can be treated and vision can be protected. Read more about glaucoma treatment

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