Protecting the nerve that carries everything you see.

It depends on the type of glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma, which is far more common in the U.S., typically develops slowly and generally does not cause pain. Angle-closure glaucoma, on the other hand, develops and progresses rapidly and can cause severe eye pain, headaches, nausea and vomiting. Individuals who experience these symptoms should see a doctor immediately to reduce the risk of permanent vision loss.

When left untreated, glaucoma can eventually lead to permanent blindness.

There are three general categories of treatments: medications (generally eyedrops), laser treatments and surgical treatments.

There are at least five categories of medications available for glaucoma. They are generally applied as eyedrops one to three times per day. Generally the treatment is continued indefinitely.

The most common treatment is called laser trabeculoplasty, which can be done with the argon laser (ALT) or the more recent selective laser (SLT). During SLT, the trabecular meshwork (essentially the filtering tissue in the angle of the eye) is illuminated with a special laser, and the laser energy is specifically absorbed by the pigment in this particular tissue. SLT ultimately eases the passage of fluid through the trabecular meshwork, hence lowering the eye pressure

Alternate drainage pathways can be created either with modifications to the natural components (trabeculectomy), external placement of drainage devices or modifications to the existing internal filtration of the eye with new treatments called Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgeries (MIGS). MIGS has been a recent leap in treatments of milder or moderate forms of glaucoma and can be performed either as standalone procedures or more commonly combined with cataract surgery. One exciting example of a MIGS device is called the iStent, which is a microscopic device inserted into the natural internal drainage system of the eye, bypassing the trabecular meshwork. In the hands of an experienced surgeon, the device can be implanted as an add-on procedure to cataract surgery with relative ease, minimal further manipulations to the eye and very little surgical time added.

The cost of glaucoma treatment depends on the specific treatment plan. For instance, the cost of medicated eyedrops differs from the cost of laser treatment. For more information about glaucoma treatment costs, please schedule an appointment with the team at Access Eye.

Currently there is no cure for glaucoma. However, the team at Access Eye offers a range of treatments to slow the progression of the disease and prevent or delay vision loss. Many of our patients have been coming to us for management of their glaucoma over decades and the wealth of practical experience we have developed in this arena has enabled us to dedicate a large portion of our practice to treating this disease. Vision lost to glaucoma is, for the most part, vision lost forever. This makes early diagnosis and treatment the key to management of this disease.