Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world. It affects approximately 3 million people in the United States, and only half even know they have it.
Fortunately, early detection and treatment of glaucoma can help prevent the condition from living up to its name as the “silent thief of sight.” Keep reading to learn more about glaucoma and why glaucoma treatment makes sense.
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is the name for a group of eye conditions that cause damage to the optic nerve. Your eye continuously produces a fluid called aqueous humor.
As new fluid flows into your eye, an equal amount exits through the drainage angle. This ensures that pressure inside your eye remains normal.
However, fluid can’t drain out when the drainage angle is blocked. With nowhere to go, the fluid accumulates in the front part of your eye.
The excess fluid increases pressure inside your eye, damaging your optic nerve. This form of glaucoma is known as open-angle glaucoma and accounts for up to 90% of cases.
The optic nerve is vital to your eyesight because it consists of millions of nerve fibers that send visual information from your eye to your brain. The brain then interprets the information received, allowing you to see.
As the nerve fibers get damaged by glaucoma, blind spots start to form in your vision, usually beginning with your peripheral or side vision. You likely won’t notice these blind spots until most of the fibers have been destroyed.
The longer pressure builds, the more damage it causes to these fibers and the more severe the vision loss. Damage to the nerve fibers is irreversible and can cause permanent vision loss and blindness.
While the majority of glaucoma cases are caused by high intraocular pressure, that’s not always the case. Some people still develop glaucoma, even with normal eye pressure.
Why Does Glaucoma Treatment Make Sense?
Glaucoma is called the silent thief of sight because it usually damages your vision before you experience any symptoms. Often, by the time you realize you have glaucoma, significant and irreversible damage has been done.
Glaucoma is a progressive condition, meaning it will continue to worsen over time. Left untreated, glaucoma can eventually cause permanent blindness.
Unfortunately, glaucoma treatment can’t reverse any vision loss that has already occurred. However, it can slow or prevent the progression of the condition and help preserve your remaining sight.
This is why early detection is vital to your vision. By attending regular eye exams with your ophthalmologist at Jacksonville Eye Center, you can ensure any signs of glaucoma are detected as soon as possible and treated right away.
How is Glaucoma Treated?
Although glaucoma doesn’t have a cure, its progression can be delayed or even halted with various treatment options, including:
Eye Drops
Prescription eye drops are usually the first line of glaucoma treatment. They decrease elevated eye pressure, slowing or preventing damage to the optic nerve and further vision loss.
Glaucoma drops achieve this by decreasing the production of the aqueous humor in your eye or increasing the outflow of fluid. Strict compliance with glaucoma drops is critical to maintaining a healthy intraocular pressure.
Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT)
Selective laser trabeculoplasty is a simple yet highly effective procedure that reduces intraocular pressure. Your ophthalmologist may recommend selective laser trabeculoplasty if:
- Your glaucoma is worsening
- Eye drops cause considerable side effects
- You are unable to keep up with the application schedule for glaucoma drops
- Glaucoma drops don’t effectively lower your intraocular pressure
During the SLT procedure, you’ll receive numbing eye drops to ensure you’re comfortable. Your ophthalmologist will then focus the laser on the trabecular meshwork, or natural drain for the aqueous humor.
Next, they’ll apply laser energy to melanin-containing cells in the trabecular meshwork. The targeted cells will absorb the energy and activate your body’s natural healing process, widening the drainage pores in the trabecular meshwork.
This improves fluid outflow, decreasing your eye pressure and preventing more damage to your optic nerve. After this quick, 15-minute procedure, you’ll be scheduled for follow-up appointments to monitor your intraocular pressure.
You may experience blurred vision for up to 24 hours after the procedure and mild irritation for up to 2 days. Many patients can reduce their dependence on glaucoma drops after selective laser trabeculoplasty, making it easier to go about their daily lives without having to adhere to a strict schedule.
The effects of the procedure can last for about five years for most patients or sometimes longer for others.
XEN® Gel Stent
If your glaucoma hasn’t responded to medications or other treatments, your ophthalmologist may recommend the XEN® Gel Stent. The XEN® Gel Stent is an FDA-approved implant that creates a new channel in your eye to allow drainage, alleviating the pressure of fluid buildup.
The tiny tube is as fine as an eyelash and becomes soft and flexible once inserted into your eye through a minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). Before the procedure, you’ll receive local or topical anesthesia to ensure comfort.
Next, your ophthalmologist will create a tiny incision to enable access to the drainage area. Through this incision, they’ll inject an applicator pre-loaded with the stent into the proper location.
They’ll then release the XEN® Gel Stent using a plunger. Once done, your ophthalmologist will remove the applicator, and the incision in your cornea is left to heal on its own.
The stent is designed to remain in your eye permanently, relieving fluid buildup and eye pressure. Because the procedure is minimally invasive, it has less risk and a shorter recovery time than traditional tube shunt and trabeculectomy surgeries.
Do you have glaucoma? Schedule an appointment at Jacksonville Eye Center in Jacksonville, FL, today to discover which treatment options make sense for you!