1. Diagnose and Treat Early
Glaucoma is a disease of the eye that often goes unnoticed until damage to the optic nerve has occurred. It's important to diagnose and treat this condition early, because once your vision is lost, it's impossible to restore. Loss of peripheral vision is one of the first things you may notice if you have glaucoma. However, by the time this symptom occurs, a lot of damage has probably already occurred. This disease can occur at any age, but older people are more likely to suffer form this condition. You're also more likely to develop glaucoma if you have certain risk factors, such as diabetes, a history of eye surgery or long-term steroid use or if you have a parent or sibling with the disease. Protect your vision and get an annual eye exam if you are at risk for glaucoma. If you catch it early, you'll have a greater chance or preserving your vision with the least invasive treatment.
2. Decrease the Pressure
The course of treatment for glaucoma involves methods to reduce the intraocular pressure and may first include medication and possible laser surgery. If these fail to reduce the pressure, you may require glaucoma surgery. A sclerostomy involves creating a small opening in the white part of the eye (sclera) to create a new outlet for fluid to flow. It accumulates in a small bubble, where it absorbs back into the surrounding tissue. Another type of surgery involves the placement of a tiny tube through the sclera to drain the fluid into a tiny reservoir to reabsorb. This type of drain implant surgery is usually successful in reducing pressure when a sclerostomy fails to do the job.
3. Weighing the Risks
Laser surgery is the least invasive type of surgery to treat glaucoma with fewer complications, which may include temporary inflammation and a slight risk of developing cataracts. The possible risks involved in the more invasive types of surgeries include a higher risk of getting cataracts, inflammation or infection at the site of the incision or inside the eye, and the risks associated with anesthesia. There is also the possibility of an occlusion of the new drainage path, resulting in an increase of intraocular pressure. The success rate is about 60 to 80 percent. However, your doctor can repeat the sclerostomy, if necessary, and medications to reduce inflammation and scar formation after surgery reduce the chance of complications.
