Skip the primary navigation if you do not want to read it as the next section.
Skip the main content if you do not want to read it as the next section.
Glaucoma can be treated but not cured. The aim of treatment is to lower the pressure within the eye and prevent further damage to the optic nerve and visual loss. Because treatment can only control, not cure, the condition, it must be continued throughout life.
This section will tell you what kind of treatments you may be given after you have been diagnosed with glaucoma.
Eye drops
The first form of treatment is usually eye drops, a fluid form of medicine for the eye which lower the eye pressure. Putting drops in properly and as prescribed is essential to try to prevent any further sight loss.
Drops may sting when first used, and some of the eye drops do have other side effects. Sometimes these arise from the drops being absorbed too quickly into the blood stream. You can slow the absorption by pressing your forefinger of your free hand against the lower lid where it meets your nose, or close your eye for 60 seconds.
Pilocarpine drops make your pupil smaller and can temporarily cause brow ache each time the drops are used. In dim lighting your vision may appear worse. These effects usually wear off after one or two weeks.
If you notice breathlessness with any eye drops, stop the drops immediately and consult your GP. Please inform the clinic doctor if you have a heart or chest condition. Some drops are not suitable for asthmatics.
Tablets
Tablets of acetazolamide (Diamox®) may be given to patients. These reduce the amount of aqueous produced within the eye, taking the pressure off the back of the eye.
The tablets initially increase the amount of urine passed and the amount of salts leaving the body. This can cause some patients to experience tingling in their hands/feet and or nausea and tiredness. If you notice any side effects tell your ophthalmologist.
Surgery
In some forms of glaucoma an operation may be necessary. The most common operation is a trabeculectomy, where a small piece of tissue is removed to make a new opening for the aqueous fluid to escape from the eye. The escaping fluid is absorbed into the tissues which form the outer coat of the eye.
Your doctor will discuss these and any other treatments you are prescribed. It is essential that you follow the course of treatment given to you as not doing so may result in further loss of sight.
