Cures for Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a group of eye disorders that attacks the optic nerves and results in partial or total blindness if not treated. Although there is no way to cure glaucoma, a proper regimen of medicinal and/or surgical options can delay the onset and effects, especially if it is detected early. Since no current treatment can heal eye damage caused by glaucoma, those in the later stages can only limit and/or slow further eye damage with the proper the treatments.-
Medicinal Treatments
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Eye drops and pills can help glaucoma by reducing the overall aqueous moisture (or humor) of the eye. As fluid drains from the eye, the eye pressure often associated with glaucoma can decrease and thus protect the eye from further damage and loss of sight. Glaucoma eye drops come in many varieties that reduce aqueous humor, including beta blockers, alpha-agonists and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. Other drops actually increase the flow of aqueous humor to improve ocular pressure. Drops that increase aqueous fluid include prostaglandin-like compounds and miotic and epinephrine agents. Glaucoma sufferers also may take some of the medications found in eye drops in pill form, especially carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.
In addition to ocular pressure-reduction medication, patients may take drugs to help with other glaucoma symptoms. Medications such as memantine may help reduce optic-nerve damage. Like other glaucoma eye drops and pills, these medications are available only with a prescription.
Medications usually are taken several times a day. In addition, patients must continue to take the medication even if they have no symptoms. Since glaucoma often attacks silently, the lack of symptoms is not necessarily indicative of the severity of the condition.
One of the more controversial glaucoma treatments is the use of medicinal marijuana. People who suffer from open-angle glaucoma--the most prevalent form of glaucoma--often experience a decrease in intraocular pressure after using medicinal marijuana. The decrease in pressure lasts between three and four hours. Since many people oppose the use of marijuana, this form of treatment has detractors despite its known benefits.
Laser Treatment
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Eye surgeons often use various forms of laser surgery to treat intraocular pressure. Laser treatment works by increasing aqueous drainage and/or production. Those with open-angle glaucoma (characterized by slow aqueous fluid drainage causing intraocular pressure) often benefit from selective or argon trabeculoplasty surgery. Lasers open the eyes' drainage canals to allow aqueous fluids to properly drain. The procedure is short (10 to 20 minutes) and relatively safe.
Those with narrow-angle glaucoma (characterized by narrow drainage openings that cause extremely rapid and painful intraocular pressure buildup) will want to consider laser cyclophotocoagulation or laser peripheral iridotomy. The latter creates a small hole in the iris that widens the distance between the cornea and the iris, thus relieving pressure and allowing for adequate aqueous fluid flow. Cyclophotocoagulation focuses on the ciliary body (a circumferential tissue within the eye) that produces aqueous flow. This laser treatment usually is considered as a last resort if other laser and eye-drop treatments have not worked effectively.
Conventional Surgery
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For those who do not respond to eye drops or laser surgery, a doctor may recommend a conventional surgery called a trabeculectomy. A small incision will be made in the sclera (the white of the eye). This gives the aqueous fluid an escape route and relieves intraocular pressure. Newer trabeculectomies favor dissection in the sclera over a hole in the sclera. After the dissection, fluid can escape through a thin layer of tissue, rather than flow out of a larger hole. A newer procedure removes a small section of the trabecular meshwork to provide proper drainage.
Some patients, including children, respond to drainage implants. Drainage implants are a form of manual drainage whereby tubes placed in the eye actively drain excess fluid. However, this procedure isn't as helpful for those with more serious forms of primary glaucoma.
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