Everything About Glaucoma Treatment
The eyes are very important in leading a quality life. Any defect or disorder in your eyes can cause significant discomfort. Even with this understanding, very few people take an active role in taking care of their eyes. More often than not, people that seek eye treatment do so following an eye disorder. However, the best way to keep up with healthy eyes is to be proactive. This is one of the best strategies for fighting serious eye problems like glaucoma.
What is Glaucoma?
It is an eye disorder that features damaged optic nerves that are necessary for proper vision. Glaucoma is one of the most common causes of blindness in the world.
This eye problem has been linked to the build-up of pressure in the eyes, leading up to damaged optic nerves. The pressure is called intraocular pressure.
Glaucoma usually runs in families. If you have a lineage of people that have suffered glaucoma, it is better to seek glaucoma treatment in Cass and Ryan Ranch early. When given room, glaucoma causes permanent eye damage and total blindness. It is not to mean that everyone with glaucoma ends up blind. If you consider early eye exams and treatment, your vision can be restored before the damage caused is irreversible.
How Does Glaucoma Happen?
The eye has different components. There is a fluid that runs in your eyes called the aqueous humor. This fluid should, ideally, flow out of your eyes through a specific channel. In some cases, however, the channels can get blocked. The blockage then traps the fluid inside your eyes. This is what builds up the intraocular pressure that then damages the optic nerves.
Glaucoma usually affects both eyes. However, it may be more intense on one eye than the other. Some of the things that can cause this eye problem include:
- Chemical contamination of your eyes
- Blunt injury or accident
- Severe eye infection
- Genetics – passed down from parents to children.
- Medical conditions – for example, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart conditions, to mention a few.
Types of Glaucoma
Glaucoma happens in different ways. The main types of glaucoma are:
- Open-angle glaucoma – it is the most common type
- Angle-closure glaucoma
Symptoms of Glaucoma
It is not easy to detect glaucoma. The best way is usually through an eye exam. However, with acute angle-closure glaucoma, treatment is possible earlier on because symptoms are vivid. Some of the signs and symptoms to look out for include:
- Halos on lights – when you look at a light, whether natural or artificial, you see a halo around the light.
- Eye pain and discomfort
- Blurry vision
- Stomach upsets, nausea, and vomiting.
What Are the Treatment Options for Glaucoma?
The kind of treatment you receive for glaucoma will always depend on the type of glaucoma you have. An optometrist will examine your eyes thoroughly, to determine what treatment you need. The treatments also vary based on the level of severity of your conditions. The most important thing to remember is that glaucoma treatment cannot restore vision that has already been lost. Some viable treatment options include:
- Eye drops – Glaucoma treatment eye drops are used for two different things. They can decrease the creation of aqueous humor fluid in your eyes, hence decreasing the pressure. Another way is by improving the drainage mechanism of the fluid from your eyes.
- Oral medication – it works similarly to eye drops. It is used for IOP reduction. The goal is to reduce the creation of the fluid, all while improving the drainage mechanism. Some examples of oral medication include carbonic anhydrase inhibitor and beta-blocker.
- Laser surgery – eye surgery may be the best route to take for acute glaucoma treatment. Laser surgery is useful for improving the drainage of the fluids in the eye. Ideally, the surgery can be used to create another channel for the fluids to drain out. It can also be the opportunity to unblock the blockage on the natural channels of drainage that have been clogged.
While the treatments aforementioned can work, how you care for your eyes plays a bigger role in their health thereof. Se ways to protect your eyes from glaucoma include
- Physical exercise – this improves the blood flow in your eyes.
- Healthy living – a healthy lifestyle will help you fight against some health problems like diabetes that can increase the risk of glaucoma.
- Regular eye checkups.