Glaucoma

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is an eye disease in which damage to the optic nerve leads to progressive, irreversible vision loss. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness.

What risk factors are associated with glaucoma?

Most people with glaucoma suffer from “open-angle” or “closed-angle” glaucoma.

What is open-angle glaucoma?

What is closed-angle glaucoma?

Rare/Less Treatable Forms of Glaucoma

*Individuals with poor circulation are at high risk for neovascular glaucoma, which is rare, untreatable, and characterized by the development of abnormal vessels that block fluid drainage in the eye. Toxic glaucoma, which is also untreatable, results from an unexplainable rise in intraocular pressure. These forms of glaucoma are rare but dangerous.

How is glaucoma treated?

Glaucoma eye drops

Eye drops that treat and stop the progression of glaucoma are classified by the active ingredient. Most are available at local pharmacies as brand names and generic forms.

Prostaglandins

Beta-blockers

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors

Alpha-Adrenergic Argonists

Parasympathomimetics

Hyperosomics

Glaucoma Surgery

If your doctor recommends surgery, this usually involves laser treatment to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP). Glaucoma surgery can result in lower eye pressure, but vision loss cannot be reversed.

Additional Glaucoma Treatments

iStent® Trabecular
Micro-Bypass Stent

CyPass® Micro-Stent

Xen Gel Stent

Ab Interno Canaloplasty

Gonioscopy-Assisted Transluminal Trabeculotomy (GATT)

Laser Glaucoma Surgery

Risks of laser surgery

What are the most common laser surgeries
to treat glaucoma?

Laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) for narrow-angle glaucoma

Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG)

Argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG)

Neodymium: YAG laser cyclophotocoagulation (YAG CP)

Filtering microsurgery

Recovery time

Most patients resume normal daily activities the day after laser surgery.

The procedure is performed in your eye doctor’s office or eye clinic. Before surgery, your eye will be numbed with medicine. Your eye may be irritated and your vision slightly blurry after the surgery, so for your safety, please arrange a ride home after surgery.

Schedule an appointment with one of our Glaucoma Specialists today.

Thomas Eye Group