The optic nerve contains over 1 million nerve fibers. Located in the back of the eye, it’s responsible for transmitting visual information from the retina to the brain.

Like the rest of the body, however, it can be affected by disease. Take glaucoma, for example, it can damage the optic nerve, causing vision loss and blindness.

Were you recently diagnosed with the condition? Want to learn more about the different glaucoma treatment options? If so, you’re at the right place.

Keep reading for everything that you need to know!

What Is Glaucoma? 

Glaucoma is a condition in which pressure builds up inside the eye; this usually happens when there’s an imbalance in the production and drainage of aqueous humor.

As the tissue deteriorates, blind spots will develop in your visual field. Generally speaking, there are two types of glaucoma:

Open-angle Glaucoma: This type of glaucoma has no symptoms except for gradual vision loss, usually of the side or peripheral vision. For this reason, many people may not be aware that they have it.

Acute-angle Glaucoma: A serious eye condition that occurs when intraocular pressure rises quickly. A medical emergency, it can cause severe eye pain, redness in the eye, blurred vision, and other visual disturbances.

Treating Glaucoma With Eye Drops

The goal of treatment is to reduce intraocular pressure; that’ll stop any additional vision loss. And more often than not, it begins with eye drops. 

For example, your doctor may prescribe you a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. A first-line treatment, it’ll help reduce eye pressure by decreasing the production of intraocular fluid.

Other types of eye drop that they may prescribe include prostaglandin analogs, beta-blockers, alpha agonists, and rho kinase inhibitors (you can check out some of the PricePro choices available on their site).

Surgery and Laser Treatments 

Surgery may be necessary if medications aren’t effective—this is especially true for angle-closure glaucoma, in which time is of the essence.

In cases like that, the doctor will perform a procedure called laser peripheral iridotomy. A type of laser surgery, it’ll create small holes in the iris so that excess fluid can drain out of the eye.

Open angle glaucoma treatment is a little different. It’s treated with laser trabeculoplasty, a procedure in which short pulses of low-energy light are applied to the trabecular meshwork. That’ll increase the outflow of aqueous fluid, which will help reduce eye pressure.

Glaucoma implant surgery is another option; it involves placing a small prosthetic device inside the eye, which will allow the intraocular fluid to drain properly.

Understanding the Different Glaucoma Treatment Options

There are several glaucoma treatment options available. At the end of the day, it depends on various factors such as the type of glaucoma that you have and the severity.

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