The most common treatment for glaucoma is using eye drops daily. However, these eye drops are not used to improve vision or restore any lost vision. Instead, glaucoma drops are used to lower the eye pressure inside the eye and help reduce the risk of more vision loss. Glaucoma is a progressive disease and, without treatment, will likely end in blindness or total loss of vision. This is why it is important to use glaucoma drops even when the drops do not make a difference in the vision when used.

Basics of Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye condition that is usually related to the eye pressure being too high in one or both eyes.

When the pressure in the eye is too high, it can cause damage to the optic nerve that connects to the brain and sends messages about the vision to the brain.

This damage can lead to vision loss in the side vision first that can encroach on the center of vision if left untreated.

In most cases, glaucoma is a slowly progressive condition that takes years to affect vision to a noticeable degree, but in many of these cases, there is vision loss in the periphery before it causes noticeable symptoms.

Drops for Glaucoma Treatment

The first line of treatment for glaucoma is typically eye drops. There are several different types of medications that can be used for glaucoma treatment including prostaglandin analogs, beta blockers, alpha agonists, and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.

Usually, the first option is to use one medication and use it only once per day.

If the single eye drop is enough to lower the pressure sufficiently, it may be enough as a stand-alone treatment.

However, if the pressure is not lowered adequately, another medication may be added, or the drop may be switched to a combination medication that has two types of medication in a single drop.

Using Eye Drops for Glaucoma

The biggest challenge when using eye drops as a treatment for glaucoma is making sure that the drops are used regularly and properly.

If the eye drops for glaucoma are not used regularly or are not actually getting into the eyes, the eye pressure will increase again and glaucoma can continue to progress and result in damage to the eyes and loss of vision.

Since these eye drops are used daily, it is best if the eye drops can become a part of the regular daily routine.

Vision Changes with Glaucoma Drops

When using glaucoma eye drops, there will not be any improvement noted in vision, eye comfort, or the visual field.

Instead, these drops will work “silently” and continue to prevent more change. This can be very difficult to justify for patients who are looking for improvement from these medications.

Unfortunately, any glaucoma-related vision loss is permanent and not able to be repaired. This is why it is so important to prevent glaucoma from progressing to this point and use eye drops as a preventative measure.

Our eye doctor at Local Eyes Optometry in New Braunfels, TX excels in prescription of glasses, contact lenses and the diagnosis of a variety of eye diseases. Call our optometrist at (830) 627-9272 or schedule an eye exam appointment online if you would are experiencing or would like to learn more about eye floaters. Our eye doctor, Dr. Marcus Page, provides the highest quality optometry services and eye exams in New Braunfels, Texas.