Will Glaucoma Eye Drops Lower My Eye Pressure?
When it comes to eye diseases, glaucoma is one of the most frightening. Not only does the disease cause vision loss that is permanent, but it is also very hard to detect.
Glaucoma has almost no noticeable symptoms besides vision loss. The disease is also incurable, although you can stop it from progressing.
The most effective way to do this is with the use of glaucoma drops. Keep reading to learn more about how eye drops lower eye pressure for those with glaucoma!
How Glaucoma Damages Your Vision
Normal glaucoma occurs due to a gradual increase in eye pressure. This is usually caused when the flow of the interior fluid becomes disrupted.
This causes a blockage near the drainage meshwork inside the eye. The eye continues to produce fluid but it doesn’t drain out fast enough.
As the pressure mounts, it results in damage to the optic nerve. It can take some time before vision loss is noticeable. This may depend on the durability of your optic nerve.
The damage to the optic nerve is not fixable. But if glaucoma is caught and diagnosed early on, medication can manage pressure in the eyes. This can prevent damage from occurring or further damage.
How the Drops Work
Glaucoma medication often comes in the form of drops. These drops can have different functions. They may relax the eye which allows the internal fluid to flow freely, slow the production of fluid, or do both at the same time.
Different glaucoma drops use different active ingredients to achieve their purpose. The most popular are prostaglandin analogs to improve flow and beta-blockers to reduce fluid production.
If these produce undesirable side effects, there are plenty of options so you and your doctor can find the right fit. Regardless of what kind of drops you need, they only work if taken every day.
If your glaucoma progresses too far before treatment, or under other circumstances, you may need surgery. This is the only way to quickly release pressure.
Even if you have surgery, you will still need to eventually use glaucoma drops. The drops will keep your eye pressure down after the operation, as the effects of the surgery are not permanent.
Oral medication may also be prescribed, but again, only in addition to the drops.
Regular Eye Exams and The Fight Against Glaucoma
It is very important to stay up to date with your eye appointments, and glaucoma is the perfect reason why. To diagnose glaucoma, you need to have specific tests performed. Performing these tests proactively is the only way to know if there are any warning signs of glaucoma to watch out for.
The most common glaucoma test is the “puff of air test”. During this test, you will look into a machine that will deliver a sharp, but harmless, burst of air into your eyes.
The machine is then able to measure the resistance of your eye and calculate the internal pressure. In rare cases, glaucoma may form in eyes that have normal eye pressure.
Concerned about glaucoma? Make your eye health a priority by scheduling an appointment at the Pinke Eye Center in Shelton, CT to stay ahead of glaucoma!
