Glaucoma is an insidious disease. It may have no warning signs. Once you have it, it may progress without your knowledge. There is no cure yet, and the damage it causes cannot be reversed. Regular check-ups and sticking to the treatment plan is critical to avoid further loss of vision.
Treatment has very precise goals: either reducing intraocular pressure by improving aqueous outflow, or reducing the production of aqueous, or both. "Aqueous humor" is a fluid that fills a chamber at the front of the eye.
Methods used to reach these goals are:
- Eyedrops
- Systemic medications
- Laser treatment
- Surgery
- A combination of treatments
Topical eye medication (and some oral medication and/or neuroprotective drugs) is the most common initial treatment for glaucoma, followed by surgery if that fails or if the patient has trouble following the protocol.
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