| Glaucoma
Treatment
Glaucoma is the leading cause
of blindness in the United States. It is a disease of the
optic nerve, the part of the eye responsible for carrying
the images we see to the brain. The optic nerve is made up
of huge numbers of nerve fibers. Glaucoma causes increased
pressure within the eye, resulting in damage to these nerve
fibers. Because glaucoma does not present any noticeable
symptoms until serious optic nerve damage has already
occurred, early detection and treatment are the keys to
preventing the loss of vision from glaucoma.
Diagnosis
At The Eye Clinic, our physicians use the HRT II as a diagnostic tool for
gluacoma. The HRT is a highly advanced, confocal scanning laser
ophthalmoscope. It generates extremely accurate, detailed data and
comprehensive analysis that simply is not possible to obtain with
traditional examinations. By scanning the optic nerve and adjacent nerve
fiber layer, the HRT II produces a three dimensional topographic map. It not
only detects the onset of glaucoma, it also provides essential information
for monitoring the disease in follow-up exams.
The HRT II exam is fast, safe, and usually does not require dilating the
eye. While a patient comfortably sits in a stationary position, a laser
scans the eye for just a few seconds. Dr. Stewart says the laser energy
level is lower than that produced from a television remote control.
The Eye Clinic is one of only a few ophthalmology practices in the state to
offer the comprehensive, non-invasive HRT exam for early diagnostic and
monitoring of glaucoma.
Treatment Options
The damage caused by glaucoma cannot be reversed. Eye drops,
pills, laser treatment and surgical operations are used to
prevent or slow further damage from occurring. If glaucoma
is diagnosed, periodic examinations are very important to
prevent vision loss. Glaucoma can worsen without any
noticeable signs, and treatment protocols may need to be
adjusted over time.
Medicines
The most common disease management treatment for glaucoma is
eye drops administered several times a day, sometimes in
combination with pills. These medications work to decrease
eye pressure.
Laser Treatment
Laser surgery is used to treat glaucoma in one of two ways.
In open-angle glaucoma, the form of the disease in which the
drainage angle of the eye becomes less efficient over time,
the laser is used to modify the drain itself to control
pressure. This procedure is called trabeculosplasty. In
closed angle glaucoma, a condition in which the
drainage angle of the eye is completely blocked, the laser
creates a hole in the iris to improve the flow of aqueous
fluid to the drain. This procedure is called iridotomy. Both
of these procedures are performed in our office.
Operative Surgery
During surgical treatment for glaucoma, an ophthalmologist
uses miniature instruments to create a new drainage channel
for the aqueous fluid to leave the eye, thus lowering
pressure. This procedure is performed in a hospital under
local anesthesia. |
