Why is glaucoma treatment important?
The common eye condition glaucoma, which gradually impairs vision, has an impact on the optic nerve of the eye, which connects the eyes to the brain. When fluid accumulates inside the eye, it causes a rise in eye pressure, which causes the condition.
If glaucoma is not treated quickly, the patient risks losing their vision. Since glaucoma develops gradually, few people can detect changes in their eyesight. But when the illness gets worse, the patient loses his or her ability to see well. Without treatment, the illness can hasten the deterioration of vision and result in total blindness. However, medication can help restore visual loss and shield the patient from issues like headaches or vision loss.
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Best Eye Doctor For Glaucoma Treatment In India
Dr. Suraj Munjal
- MBBS, MS ,
- Ophthalmologist
- 20+ years of experience
Dr. Pratik Ranjan Sen
- MBBS, MS
- Ophthalmologist
- 22+ years of experience
Dr. Dharitri Samantaray
- MBBS, MS
- Ophthalmologist
- 24 years of experience
Best Eye Hospital for Glaucoma Treatment in India
The Sight Avenue Eye Hospital
243 P, Sector 38, near Bakhtawar Chowk, Gurugram, Haryana 122001
Mon to Sat, 9am to 7pm
All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi
Ansari Nagar East, Gautam Nagar, Ansari Nagar East, New Delhi, Delhi 110029
Open 24 Hours
Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital
222, TT Krishnamachari Rd, near Raj Park Hotel, Parthasarathypuram, Alwarpet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600018
Mon to Sat, 9am to 8pm
Sharan Nethralaya
STBT Cross, Opposite Pragnaya school, Chakkar Katta, Maktampura, Kalaburagi, Karnataka 585101
Mon to Sat, 10am to 8pm
The best glaucoma treatment facility in India
Some of the top eye hospitals in India for glaucoma surgery are connected to Medified. To provide a pleasant surgical experience, all of our affiliated clinics and eye hospitals are outfitted with cutting-edge medical infrastructure and modern facilities.
Medified is a sought-after and reputable healthcare brand for the treatment of glaucoma due to the additional factors listed below:
Prior to glaucoma treatment, the diagnosis
Typically, a routine eye exam is sufficient to identify and confirm the presence of glaucoma. However, the eye doctor may suggest the following tests for a precise diagnosis:
A specific instrument called a tonometer is used to measure eye pressure and determine whether the intraocular pressure is within the usual range.
- Gonioscopy: This procedure looks at the cornea and iris. It establishes the openness or closure of the angle or region where the fluids drain out. It aids in determining the patient's kind of glaucoma.
- Visual Field exam (Perimetry): In this exam, the patient's entire field of vision, particularly their peripheral vision, is evaluated. Patients are shown a series of light dots in order to determine which ones they can see.
- Assessment of the Optic Nerve: Slit lamps or optical coherence tomography (OCT) are used to look at the optic nerve.
The doctor will suggest the optimal glaucoma treatment option for the patient based on the findings of these diagnostic tests and assessments.
Options for glaucoma treatment
Once formed, glaucoma cannot be treated or reversed. However, lowering ocular pressure with a variety of therapies can slow the condition's progression. After a comprehensive diagnosis of the problem and consideration of the condition's severity, the appropriate course of therapy is frequently decided. The available therapies are listed below:
Treatment for glaucoma using eye drops
Prescription eye drops are the primary treatment for glaucoma. Frequently recommended glaucoma eye drops include:
- Prostaglandins: This eye drop causes an increase in the drainage of eye fluids, which lowers intraocular pressure.
- Beta Blockers: By preventing the formation of eye fluids, beta blocker eye drops lessen eye pressure.
- Alpha-adrenergic Agonists: These eye drops simultaneously raise the outflow rate and decrease the formation of ocular fluids.
Other effective glaucoma eye drops include carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, rho kinase inhibitors, and miotic drugs.
Medications for treating glaucoma
- Latanoprost (Xalatan)
- Travoprost (Travatan Z)
- Latanoprostene Bunod (Vyzulta)
- Tafluprost (Zioptan)
- Bimatoprost (Lumigan)
Surgical glaucoma treatment
Various surgical procedures for treating glaucoma include:
Patients who cannot take eye drops or do not respond well to medications are advised to undergo laser treatment for glaucoma. There are various glaucoma laser surgery techniques, including:
- Laser trabeculoplasty: The eye's drainage canals are opened using the laser to let more fluid drain out.
- Cyclophotocoagulation: This technique uses a laser to harm the ciliary body in order to decrease the formation of aqueous humor.
- Laser iridotomy: This procedure involves cutting holes in the iris with a laser to let extra fluid drain from the eye and lower eye pressure.
- Drainage Device: This procedure involves implanting a device that enables the eye's fluid to flow out. The tube is attached to the anterior chamber of the eye for fluid drainage, and the implant device is stitched to the sclera.
Trabeculectomy, another name for filtering surgery, is cutting a hole in the sclera (the white area of the eye). The body ingests the liquid after it leaves that area.
The ab-internal canaloplasty (ABIC) approach, sometimes referred to as minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), is used to restore the ocular fluids' natural outflow pathway. To increase the drainage capacity of the eye and lower eye pressure, a microcatheter is employed.
The procedure's microcatheter is made specifically to enter the drainage channel safely. The canal is enlarged up to two or three times its initial size by injection of a sterile viscoelastic gel. This enables proper aqueous fluid drainage.
How do I get ready for a glaucoma operation?
Surgery for glaucoma seeks to lower the intraocular pressure inside the eyes. Even if glaucoma surgery may not necessitate careful planning, it is always best to be aware of what to expect and to be prepared.
- On the day of your glaucoma surgery, dress comfortably. It is better to wear anything that can be removed quickly without going past the eye, such as a shirt.
- On the day of the operation, stay away from wearing jewelry, makeup, contact lenses, lotions, or moisturizers.
- Your eye surgeon will specify what you can and cannot eat or drink before the glaucoma surgery. You must receive specific instructions on what to eat and what to avoid because the procedure is done while you are under anesthesia.
- Inform your ophthalmologist of any prescription medications or nutritional supplements you use prior to your glaucoma surgery. Prior to glaucoma surgery, some painkillers and blood thinners must be avoided.
- Ask a responsible adult to drive you to the hospital and back home following your glaucoma surgery.
In addition to your identity papers and health insurance card, you may also need to bring any other paperwork or documents that your eye surgeon provides.
Glaucoma Surgery Recovery
Glaucoma surgery recovery is typically quick and painless. The majority of your post-surgery recovery will depend on the treatment and what you anticipate the recovery period to entail.
The patient frequently experiences hazy vision in the operated eye right away following the procedure. Other brief side effects following glaucoma surgery include:
- Eye discomfort
- Edoema
- Redness
- A sensation of having something trapped in your eye
These side effects are not severe, and medication and eye drops should help them go away. The majority of patients who have glaucoma surgery don't feel much pain. However, you should speak with your eye doctor about the best ways to treat it if you experience eye pain.
Post Surgery Precautions
Each patient recovers differently from glaucoma surgery. Minimally invasive operations have a very quick visual recovery time. The healing period often lasts a few days to a week. Within the first few days after surgery, the majority of patients are able to resume daily activities, including reading, watching TV, and using phones, laptops, or other electronic devices.
For the first several days following surgery, eye protection (such as a shield or spectacles) prevents bumping or touching the eye. For a few days following glaucoma surgery, refrain from doing the following:
- Stooping
- Bending
- Lifting
- Running
- Lifting weights
- Leaping into a pool
- Taking a hot tub bath
- Using face cream or eye makeup
- Wearable contact lens usage
Risks and issues related to glaucoma surgery
The benefits of surgical surgery for cases of advanced glaucoma typically exceed the risks. Here are a few uncommon dangers and side effects of glaucoma surgery, though:
- Vision Loss: Following glaucoma surgery, your vision may become temporarily impaired. However, the likelihood of this problem is extremely low.
- Shallow ocular pressures: They are a rare cause of infection, fluid pockets behind the retina, and internal bleeding in the eye.
- Infection: Following glaucoma surgery, an infection inside the eye may develop, which can be quite dangerous and jeopardize vision. These infections can happen either right after the procedure or weeks, months or even years later.
- Low Eye Pressure: Glaucoma surgery occasionally causes low eye pressure, commonly known as hypotony (fluid accumulates behind the retina). Immediately following surgery, this occurs more commonly.
Frequently Ask Questions?
There is currently no medical procedure that can permanently end glaucoma. However, if discovered early, eye doctors can take particular steps to preserve vision.
Glaucoma eye drops work to lower eye pressure, which aids in managing the condition. To prevent eye pressure from harming the optic nerve, these eye drops are recommended. They cannot prevent vision loss from occurring or treat glaucoma.
Although glaucoma cannot be fixed, it can be stopped from getting worse. Early-onset glaucoma normally progresses gradually, and blindness from untreated glaucoma might occur after up to 15 years.
It typically takes glaucoma 10 to 15 years to progress from the earliest signs of damage to permanent blindness. In the early years, non-surgical treatments can be used to manage the problem, but as the condition develops, therapy is likely to become the only remaining effective course of action.
For up to 6 weeks following surgery, the operated eyes may continue to be hazy. Your vision will likely return to its pre-surgery condition as soon as this goes away.
Regrettably, no. Glaucoma visual loss cannot be reversed with the state of medicine today.