About Eye Pressure Treatment

Regular visual examinations are important in order to detect certain eye diseases. Part of the eye exam includes measuring the pressure in your eyes. Unusually high pressure in the eye, or intraocular pressure, could lead to glaucoma. Glaucoma is a disease with no immediate symptoms. Undetected and untreated, this eye problem could eventually lead to blindness.

What Causes High Eye Pressure

• Pressure in the eye builds up when a fluid known as aqueous humor does not drain properly. Aqueous humor is produced by the ciliary body which is located behind the iris. This fluid flows, nourishing the cornea and lens. It then drains out through a small tissue called the trabecular meshwork. When the trabecular becomes stopped up, the aqueous humor has no place to go. It, therefore, gradually builds up causing pressure against the optic nerve. If this is allowed to continue, damage to the optic nerve may occur causing glaucoma.

Misconceptions

• It is a relatively common assumption that, if you have high eye pressure, you have glaucoma. This is a misconception. According to the National Eye Institute, increased eye pressure means that you might be at risk for glaucoma. Unless you have damage to your optic nerve, you don't have this disease. Further, it states, not every person who consistently has high pressure develops glaucoma. On the flip side, you can have glaucoma and not have a high pressure measurement.

Types of Glaucoma

• There are different types of glaucoma. University of Michigan's Kellogg Eye Center explains the different types in a 2009 report:
  Chronic open-angle glaucoma is the most common type of the disease. It produces a gradual increase in pressure with no obvious symptoms until the optic nerve is damaged. This type is more often seen in people of African and Asian heritage, as well as certain eye conditions.
  Angle-closure glaucoma causes a rapid increase in pressure. This type of glaucoma has symptoms of severe pain, blurred vision, headache, nausea, vomiting and halos around lights.
  Normal or low tension glaucoma is not presented through high eye pressure. This results in visual field loss, or peripheral vision, when eye pressure measurements are normal.
  Exfoliation syndrome is open-angle glaucoma caused by an abnormal building of material on the eye's lens and drainage angle.
  Pigmentary glaucoma generally affects young, nearsighted Caucasian males.
  Other types of glaucoma, according to the Kellogg report, may be caused by injuries, tumors and other eye diseases.

Testing

• The primary tests involved in measuring intraocular pressure and possible glaucoma damage are as follows:
  1. A visual acuity test measures the ability to see at certain distances. At this point, the technician or physician may use a non-contact tonometer, which shoots a puff of air into the eye, and measures pressure.
  2. A dilated exam is an exam where the physician adds drops to the eyes and dilates the pupils so that, through a magnifying lens, he can examine the back area of the eyes for possible damage.
  3. Applanation tonometry measurement is done by placing numbing drops in the eyes. The instrument is placed against the cornea to check pressure. This is the most common pressure measurement method.
  4. A visual field test measures peripheral vision.
  5. A pachymetry test involves the use of ultrasonic waves to measure the thickness of the cornea. This is an important test because the thickness of the cornea might determine whether a diagnosis of glaucoma has been overestimated or underestimated. Thicker corneas can give a false high reading whereas thinner corneas can give a false low pressure reading.

Drug Treatment

• A too-tight necktie, standing on your head or even holding your breath can, temporarily, raise the pressure in your eyes. This, of course, does not lead to permanent high pressures. If one does have consistently high pressure readings, the primary treatment will be geared toward permanently lowering these pressures.
  According to the University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary--The Eye Digest, AgingEye Times, there are two goals toward lowering intraocular pressures: Reduce the production of the aqueous humor or increase the drainage of the fluid. This can be accomplished by using eyedrop medications. "Some medications decrease the production of aqueous humor whereas others increase the outflow."
  A few of the pressure controlling drugs on the market are Timoptic, Lumigan, Xalatan, Trusopt, Pilocarpine and Alphagan. The Eye Digest said that, if additional lowering of pressure is needed, "...it is best to add an eyedrop with a different mechanism of action than the initial drug. For example, if the initial eyedrop used is Xalatan which works by increasing uvioscleral output, then the second eyedrop could be Timoptic or Trusopt which works by decreasing aqueous humor production."

Surgical Treatment

• The Mayo Clinic lists several surgical options.
  If the condition warrants it, laser surgery might be considered. Trabeculoplasty is a procedure that has been used frequently in some types of glaucoma. This is when, simply put, a laser beam is aimed into the drainage canal, unclogging it and enabling the aqueous humor to drain more effectively.
  Another is the filtering surgery, or Trabeculectomy. The surgeon makes an opening through the white part of your eye (the sclera) and removes a small section of the trabecular meshwork. This permits the draining of the liquid, lowering the pressure in turn.
  Small silicone tubes can be implanted to allow drainage.

Home Treatment Options

• It seems, in every instance, you can't beat water and exercise. The same advice is given to glaucoma suspects to help lower eye pressure. Drink water, off and on, during the day. Get good, steady exercise.
  Some physicians advise patients to avoid caffeine. AgingEye Times said that a high amount of caffeine is certainly not good for glaucoma but whether lower amounts should be avoided is debatable. It said, current evidence doesn't suggest a complete avoidance of caffeine. The website suggests tea as a good alternative drink.
  Glaucoma is a sight stealer. None of these treatments will be all that worthwhile if the disease is caught when the damage is done. Glaucoma is not curable. Early detection will, however, diminish the damage.