Vision Plus of Delaware utilizes state-of-the-art technology and the most medically advanced techniques to diagnose and treat Glaucoma in all of it’s stages. Below is a listing of three types of treatment for Glaucoma:
Medication
Medication in the form of eye drops is the usual method of glaucoma treatment in the United States. The majority of glaucoma patients can control their intraocular pressure this way. At Vision Plus of Delaware, Dr. Williams carefully monitors both the effectiveness of the treatment and the side effects.
Medication is frequently prescribed for the treatment of glaucoma. Before issuing a prescription for a glaucoma medication. Dr. Williams performs a comprehensive examination at our office serving Delaware and Maryland communities including, but not limited to, Wilmington, Newark, Christiana, Dover, and Cecil County to determine the glaucoma treatment that best meets the patient's individual needs. Medications that may be prescribed include the following:
- Miotics
- Beta-blockers
- Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs)
- Alpha-agonists
- Prostaglandin analogues
Laser Treatment
Some patients may benefit from surgery when glaucoma treatment medications produce undesirable side effects. Laser glaucoma treatment is an outpatient procedure that requires only topical anesthesia and takes less than fifteen minutes to complete. Although laser treatment is not an option for everyone, it has been proven to decrease intraocular pressure in many patients. The full effect of the treatment may take about three to six weeks to realize. A complete evaluation can help determine whether the following laser treatments may be right for you:
- Laser trabeculoplasty – A safe and effective method of lowering IOP (intraocular pressure), laser trabeculoplasty uses laser heat to force some of the drainage passageways to stretch open and allow fluid to drain more freely.
- Laser iridotomy - This is an outpatient procedure that uses a laser to create a hole in the iris, allowing the aqueous to flow freely.
Surgical Treatment
Glaucoma surgery is usually reserved for patients whose intraocular pressure has not been controlled by the use of medication or laser treatment. The goal of surgery is to lower the intraocular pressure by making a small opening in the eye so that fluid may leave the eye through the newly formed hole. Many techniques have evolved to allow better regulation of fluid outflow, but there is the potential of post-operative complications. This is why this method of glaucoma treatment is usually reserved for those patients who are unresponsive to medical and/or laser treatment.