How should glaucoma be treated?
Written by:
Ophthalmologist
Published: 16/11/2020
Edited by: Robert Smith
Glaucoma is a serious eye condition that can cause damage to your eyesight if left untreated. In her latest online article, leading consultant ophthalmologist Dr Tahmina Pearsall explains how this common eye disease is treated.
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve head, and it may be associated with raised intraocular pressure. As we get older, the risk of us developing glaucoma also increases and the most common type of glaucoma is what we call primary open-angle glaucoma. The problem is with primary open-angle glaucoma is that you can gradually develop loss of vision without even knowing. There may be no symptoms and it's what we call the sneak thief of sight.
How would you treat glaucoma?
At the consultation, we'll go through a number of questions both around your eye health and your general health. We'll do a number of tests and investigations. If we find that you're at risk of developing glaucoma or have any signs of glaucoma such as loss of sight or visual field defects, we'll decide on a course of treatment tailored to you. Most of my patients take eye drops and are quite satisfied with this line of treatment.
However, if they don't suit you or are not effective, we can try a type of laser called selective laser trabeculoplasty. The other options for glaucoma treatment are minimally invasive glaucoma surgery or what we call the gold standard trabeculectomy. Whatever it is that you require, we'll go through the pros and cons and get your treatment plan right for you. The most important thing for me is that we maintain your sight and your quality of life and that you go on to enjoy all the things that you want to.
What happens at a glaucoma consultation?
During the consultation, we'll go through a full and thorough discussion. I'll go through all your visual needs and see what's affecting your daily quality of life. Having done that, I'll have a look at your eye health and we'll go over your general health as well. We'll then decide on the right course of treatment for you. We'll choose a lens to suit your needs. We'll discuss the surgery going through all the pros and cons, the risks and benefits.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of glaucoma, we recommend booking an appointment with a highly experienced ophthalmologist such as Ms Tahmina Pearsall. Click here to visit her Top Doctors profile for information on appointment availability.