How to Lower Intraocular Pressure

Intraocular pressure, or high pressure within the eye, occurs when the eyeball fluid is not draining properly. High intraocular pressure indicates a type of glaucoma. A typical treatment plan for reducing intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients involves medicated eye drops. Some patients may also need oral medications. If these drugs cannot lower the pressure enough, you may also need surgery. If you have a type of glaucoma called acute angle-closure, you need emergency treatment in the hospital to prevent blindness.

Things You'll Need

• Eyedrops
• Oral medication

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Instructions

Medications

• 1

  Administer the eye drops your doctor prescribes to lower intraocular pressure. After placing the prescribed number of drops in the eye, close your eyes and wait one to two minutes. Place a finger lightly on the inner corner of the eye for one to two minutes. If you use more than one type, your doctor will tell you how long to wait between eye drops.

• 2

  Use an eye drop that reduces how much intraocular fluid your body makes. These eye drops are called beta blockers. They include timolol and metipranolol. If you have diabetes or a breathing problem, you may be unable to use beta blockers.

• 3

  Use an eyedrop like latanoprost that accelerates the drainage of intraocular fluid. These types of eye drops include epinephrine compounds, prostaglandin-like compounds and miotic or cholinergic agents. Some patients may experience side effects from these eye drops, which may include blurred vision and stinging of the eyes.

• 4

  Use an alpha-agonist eyedrop such as brimonidine to increase drainage of fluid and reduce the production of new fluid at the same time. Monitor yourself for side effects, such as dizziness, fatigue and allergic reactions.

• 5

  Take an oral medication like a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor if your eye drops are not reducing your intraocular pressure enough. Take each dose with a meal.

Surgery

• 6

  Undergo a drainage implant surgery if you have secondary glaucoma and medications are not controlling the intraocular pressure. The surgeon will place a tiny tube in the eye to drain the fluid.

• 7

  Undergo laser surgery if you have open-angle glaucoma. The surgeon will use a laser to unclog the eye's drainage channels. This surgery has a high rate of success; however, some patients may eventually experience an increase in intraocular pressure afterward.

• 8

  Undergo a filtering surgery if the laser surgery is ineffective. The surgeon will remove a very small portion of tissue to allow the fluid to drain.

Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma Treatment

• 9

  Have someone drive you to the emergency room immediately if you experience symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma, such as sudden, severe eye pain and seeing halos around lights. This sudden rise in intraocular pressure can cause blindness if you do not treat it right away.

• 10

  Comply with your doctor's instructions regarding medications. They will likely give you a combination of pills, as well as medicine administered intravenously. Expect to remain in the hospital while the doctor administers your treatment.

• 11

  Place eye drops in one or both of your eyes, as instructed by your doctor. If you have trouble, ask the nurse for assistance.

• 12

  Undergo an emergency iridotomy, if your doctor tells you that it is necessary to prevent blindness. This laser surgery opens a new pathway within the eye so that the fluid can drain, which lowers intraocular pressure.