Glaucoma is a vision disorder in the elderly caused by damage to the optic nerve due to high pressure in the eyeball. It is important for you to get treatment as soon as possible to prevent vision problems from getting worse. Then, can glaucoma be cured? If so, what types of treatment can be chosen? Check out the various glaucoma treatment options at the most common doctors.
Various glaucoma treatment options are available
Most patients who are diagnosed with glaucoma must have the same concerns and questions, namely whether this disease can be cured.
In general, glaucoma cannot be cured. However, the symptoms and disease progression can still be controlled with medication.
Glaucoma treatment will only help prevent glaucoma from getting worse. Therefore, treatment will usually focus on ways to reduce high eye pressure.
There are four glaucoma treatment options that are commonly used by doctors to avoid the risk of blindness.
Usually, the type of treatment chosen depends on the severity and type of glaucoma the patient is suffering from.
The following are 4 glaucoma treatments that are commonly given by doctors.
1. Eye drops
The most common way to treat glaucoma and always recommended for the first time by doctors is eye drops.
The drug works to reduce eye pressure and prevent damage to the optic nerve of the eye.
Of course, the eye drops used in the treatment of glaucoma are not drugs that you can get over the counter at a pharmacy.
You should get it with a doctor’s prescription because the type and dose will be determined based on the severity of your condition.
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Based on information from the National Eye Health, drops to reduce eye pressure that are most often prescribed by doctors are as follows.
1. Prostaglandin analogues (latanaprost, travoprost , tafluprost, and bimatoprost).
2. Cholinergic or miotic (pilocarpine) agents .
3. Rho kinase inhibitor class (Netarsudil).
4. Nitric oxide group (Latanoprostene Bunod).
Meanwhile, there are also eye drops that help reduce the level of fluid produced by the eye. Some of them are as follows.
1. β-adrenergic antagonists ( timolol and betaxolol ).
2. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors ( dorzolamide and brinzolamide).
3. Alpha-adrenergic agonists (apraclonidine and brimonidine).
These drugs may be given separately or the doctor may combine them.
Although the use of eye drops cannot completely cure glaucoma, they are effective ways to prevent the disease from getting worse.
2. Drugs to drink
In addition to eye drops, doctors will also sometimes prescribe oral medications or drink in the treatment of glaucoma.
There are two choices of oral medication used in how to cure glaucoma symptoms, namely:
1. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, such as acetazolamide. This drug is generally only used for short therapy attacks of acute glaucoma. However, in some cases, these drugs can be given long-term to patients who cannot undergo surgery but eye drops are no longer effective.
2. Hyperosmotic groups, such as glycerol This drug works by drawing fluid from the eyeball into the blood vessels. Giving is only done in acute cases and in a short period of time (a matter of hours).
However, the risk of side effects of oral medication is higher than eye drops. That is why, taking medication is usually not recommended in the treatment of glaucoma.
3. Lasers
The next glaucoma treatment option is a laser. Usually, a laser will be recommended if drugs and other methods without surgery have not produced results in reducing eye pressure.
There are two types of laser treatment that can be done to help drain excess eye fluid due to glaucoma, namely:
1. Trabeculoplasty. This procedure is common for people who have open-angle glaucoma. The laser helps so that the angle where the drainage is located can work more optimally.
2. Iridotomy. This action is generally performed for cases of angle-closure glaucoma. Your irises will be perforated using a laser beam to allow the extra fluid to drain better.
However, how to treat glaucoma with a laser sometimes does not show better results than surgical or surgical procedures.
4. Operation
Glaucoma surgery is generally performed in cases that can no longer improve with the treatment options above. The operation usually lasts 45-75 minutes.
Common surgical procedures used to treat glaucoma include:
1. Trabeculectomy, is done by making a small incision in the white of the eye and also making a pocket in the conjunctival area (bleb). Thus, excess fluid can flow through the incision into the bleb bag and then be absorbed by the body.
2. Glaucoma drainage device. This action is in the form of installing a pipe-like implant to help drain excess fluid in the eyeball.
Can blindness caused by glaucoma be cured?
Keep in mind again that the glaucoma treatments above are very important to prevent eye damage from getting worse. The reason is, glaucoma that is handled too late can lead to total blindness.
When the patient has completely lost his sight, he develops a condition called absolute glaucoma. Not only total blindness, the patient may also feel painful pressure on the eye.
So, can blindness in absolute glaucoma be cured?
Unfortunately, the blindness that glaucoma has caused is permanent. That is, the sight of the sufferer can no longer be restored.
Even so, people who experience absolute glaucoma will still be given treatment to reduce pain due to eye pressure.
Not only that, you will also be given psychological therapy to provide support to patients who have lost their eyesight.
That’s why it’s important for you to recognize the symptoms of glaucoma and treat it as early as possible. That way, further damage can be prevented.
Discuss further with an ophthalmologist to find out which glaucoma treatment method is most suitable for you.
You can come directly to the clinic or hospital that you are going to or book an ophthalmologist in advance through the Hello Sehat platform.