To treat glaucoma, your ophthalmologist may use one or more of the following treatments. Glaucoma is usually controlled with eyedrop medicine. Used every day, these eye drops lower eye pressure. Some do this by reducing the amount of aqueous fluid the eye makes.
Others reduce pressure by helping fluid flow better through the drainage angle. Glaucoma medications can help you keep your vision, but they may also produce side effects. Some eye drops may cause:. All medications can have side effects.
Some drugs can cause problems when taken with other medications. It is important to give your doctor a list of every medicine you take regularly. Be sure to talk with your ophthalmologist if you think you may have side effects from glaucoma medicine. Never change or stop taking your glaucoma medications without talking to your ophthalmologist.
If you are about to run out of your medication, ask your ophthalmologist if you should have your prescription refilled. There are two main types of laser surgery to treat glaucoma. They help aqueous drain from the eye. Some glaucoma surgery is done in an operating room.
It creates a new drainage channel for the aqueous humor to leave the eye. Treating glaucoma successfully is a team effort between you and your doctor. Your ophthalmologist will prescribe your glaucoma treatment. Once you are taking medications for glaucoma, your ophthalmologist will want to see you regularly. You can expect to visit your ophthalmologist about every 3—6 months.
However, this can vary depending on your treatment needs. About Foundation Museum of the Eye. What Is Glaucoma? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment. By Kierstan Boyd. Edited By David Turbert. Target pressure differs for each person, depending on the extent of the damage and other factors.
Target pressure may change over time. New medications to help fight glaucoma are always being developed. Early detection, prompt treatment, and regular monitoring can help to control glaucoma and reduce the chances for vision loss. Acanthamoeba is one of the most common organisms in the environment. Although it rarely causes infection, when it does occur, it can threaten your vision. Amblyopia—also known as lazy eye—is the loss or lack of development of clear vision in one or both eyes.
Forgot username or password? You do not have access to this content. Join the AOA today! Eye and Vision Conditions. Glaucoma is a group of eye disorders that lead to progressive damage to the optic nerve.
It is characterized by loss of nerve tissue that results in vision loss. People with glaucoma can lose nerve tissue, resulting in vision loss. The following are the different types of glaucoma and their potential causes.
Primary open-angle glaucoma This is the most common form of glaucoma. Angle-closure glaucoma This type of glaucoma, also called closed-angle glaucoma or narrow-angle glaucoma, is a less common form of the disease. Secondary glaucoma This type of glaucoma results from an injury or another eye disease. Normal-tension or low-tension glaucoma In this form of glaucoma, eye pressure remains within the "normal" range, but the optic nerve is damaged nevertheless.
The following factors can increase the risk of developing glaucoma: Age. People over age 60 are at increased risk for the disease. African Americans, however, are at increased risk after age The risk of developing glaucoma increases slightly with each year of age. African Americans are significantly more likely to get glaucoma than Caucasians, and they are much more likely to suffer permanent vision loss.
People of Asian descent and Native Alaskans are at higher risk of angle-closure glaucoma. People of Japanese descent are more likely to develop low-tension glaucoma. Family history of glaucoma.
Having a family history of glaucoma increases the risk of developing glaucoma. Medical conditions. Some studies indicate that diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease may increase the risk of developing glaucoma.
Physical injuries to the eye. Severe trauma, such as being hit in the eye, can result in immediate increased eye pressure. Internal damage from such a trauma can also cause future increases in pressure.
Injury can also dislocate the lens, closing the drainage angle and increasing pressure. Other eye-related risk factors. Certain features of eye anatomy, namely thinner corneas and optic nerve sensitivity, indicate an increased risk for developing glaucoma. Conditions such as retinal detachment, eye tumors, and eye inflammations may also trigger glaucoma.
Some studies suggest that high amounts of nearsightedness may also be a risk factor for glaucoma. Corticosteroid use. Using corticosteroids including cortisone, hydrocortisone, and prednisone for prolonged periods of time appears to put some people at risk of getting secondary glaucoma. Symptoms The signs or symptoms of glaucoma can vary depending on the type. This pressure damages the optic nerve. It happens so slowly that you may lose vision before you're even aware of a problem.
Angle-closure glaucoma, also called closed-angle glaucoma, occurs when the iris bulges forward to narrow or block the drainage angle formed by the cornea and iris. As a result, fluid can't circulate through the eye and pressure increases. Some people have narrow drainage angles, putting them at increased risk of angle-closure glaucoma. Angle-closure glaucoma may occur suddenly acute angle-closure glaucoma or gradually chronic angle-closure glaucoma.
Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a medical emergency. In normal-tension glaucoma, your optic nerve becomes damaged even though your eye pressure is within the normal range.
No one knows the exact reason for this. You may have a sensitive optic nerve, or you may have less blood being supplied to your optic nerve.
This limited blood flow could be caused by atherosclerosis — the buildup of fatty deposits plaque in the arteries — or other conditions that impair circulation. It's possible for infants and children to have glaucoma. It may be present from birth or develop in the first few years of life.
The optic nerve damage may be caused by drainage blockages or an underlying medical condition. In pigmentary glaucoma, pigment granules from your iris build up in the drainage channels, slowing or blocking fluid exiting your eye.
Activities such as jogging sometimes stir up the pigment granules, depositing them on the trabecular meshwork and causing intermittent pressure elevations. Because chronic forms of glaucoma can destroy vision before any signs or symptoms are apparent, be aware of these risk factors:. These self-care steps can help you detect glaucoma in its early stages, which is important in preventing vision loss or slowing its progress. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.
Those signals tell your brain what your eyes are looking at. The second leading cause of blindness , glaucoma most often is caused by high pressure buildup of fluid within the eye. That pressure damages the optic nerve. Without treatment, you can lose your peripheral side vision and eventually lose your sight all together.
Types of Glaucoma There are several different types of glaucoma. There are different treatment options for the different types of glaucoma including medicines and laser surgery.
0コメント