Glaucoma treatment

At present, the only proven therapy for glaucoma is to lower the eye pressure. If the eye pressure is lowered sufficiently, further increase in the characteristic permanent visual field defects can usually be prevented. Visual field defects that are already present cannot be reversed. It is therefore important that glaucoma is detected at the earliest possible stage.

Drops
If treatment is to be chosen, treatment with eye drops can be chosen. There are many different types of eye pressure-lowering eye drops. The ophthalmologist will choose the type of eye drops in such a way that a maximum eye pressure-lowering effect is coupled with minimal side effects. It is important that the patient makes eye drops (one or more times a day) a regular habit so that no drops are forgotten. The eye drop technique can cause problems in the beginning. The patient must continue to drip until he feels a drop enter the eye. If eye drops remain difficult, the patient can use an aid for this, which is available at the pharmacy.

Laser surgery
In case of open-angle glaucoma, the ophthalmologist can use the Argon laser to increase the drainage of aqueous humor in the eye. This treatment is virtually pain-free. About half of all patients will then have a well-regulated and lowered eye pressure for 5 years. In that case, it is no longer necessary to use drops daily.

If necessary, this treatment can be repeated. If the effect is insufficient, it is also possible to choose to use drops to lower eye pressure.

In the case of closed-angle glaucoma, the ophthalmologist clears the drainage of the eye by making a small hole in the iris with the YAG laser (laser iridotomy). This treatment is also virtually painless. Due to the extra drainage channel, the eye pressure is generally well-regulated and no additional drops are needed. Sometimes the drainage channel becomes blocked again and the treatment has to be repeated.

In case of closed-angle glaucoma, the ophthalmologist clears the drainage of the eye by making a small hole in the iris with the YAG laser (laser iridotomy). This treatment is also virtually pain-free.

Day of the procedure

You may eat normally and take your usual medications before the procedure. Make sure you are there on time. We advise you not to drive your own car after the procedure. We recommend that you bring someone who can guide you. Due to sterile working conditions, a supervisor cannot be present during the treatment. He/she can wait in the waiting area.

The laser treatment

Before the treatment, you should apply drops every 10 minutes to the eye that is to be lasered one hour in advance. You can do this yourself at home. These drops dilate or constrict the pupil. Whether the pupil needs to be dilated or constricted depends on the type of laser treatment. During laser treatment, a glass lens is almost always placed on the cornea and held by the ophthalmologist. The ophthalmologist focuses the laser beams through this lens. The treatment is virtually pain-free and takes a maximum of 10 minutes. The flashes of light you see may be unpleasant.

After treatment

Immediately after the treatment you will see less clearly due to the flashes of light and the drops in your eye. If you have pain after the treatment, you can take a painkiller (e.g. paracetamol) and keep your eye closed.

Lens surgery

In some cases, the increase in eye pressure is caused by a strong thickening of the eye’s own lens. In that case, you are advised to have a lens surgery (cataract surgery). In this case, the own lens is replaced by an artificial lens, the same as in cataract surgery, which often normalizes the eye pressure.