Glaucoma Preferred Treatment

Glaucoma is a group a conditions that damages the optic nerve and can result in blindness, according to Mayo Clinic. Nearly all glaucoma cases are caused by excessively high pressure inside your eye, known as intraocular pressure. There is no cure for glaucoma, but treatments can often minimize the progression of glaucoma-related blindness.

• Early detection of glaucoma can prevent further damage to the optic nerve and help you keep your vision.

Eye Drops

• Eye drops are often the first treatment for glaucoma. A buildup of aqueous humor, a fluid constantly produced in your eye, often causes the increase in pressure and eye drops can reduce the production of this fluid, increase drainage and/or increase the outflow of aqueous humor.

Oral Medications

• If eye drops do not lower your eye pressure to a healthy level, your doctor may add an oral medication to your treatment. Doctors often prescribe carbonic anhydrase inhibitors to reduce the production of aqueous humor, but follow your doctor's orders to reduce side effects.

Neuroprotective Drugs

• Clinical trials are assessing whether some medications, such as brimonidine, can protect the optic nerve from the glaucoma damage, in addition to their current uses for reducing aqueous humor and increasing drainage, according to Mayo Clinic.

Surgery

• According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, if the medications do not lower your intraocular pressure, your doctor may suggest surgery. Both types of glaucoma surgery, the laser surgery and the filtering microsurgery, allow for the fluids to drain, thus lowering the pressure.

Exercise

• Isokinetic and aerobic exercises can lower your intraocular pressure, according to The Eye Digest. Exercises that raise your heart rate by 20 to 25 percent for 20 minutes, four times a week, can lower your eye pressure, but will not replace your medications and doctor visits.