With advancements in technology, laser treatment is now a major part of treating eye conditions. Although surgery is not the first step in treating glaucoma, it is the best option where other treatments fail. Glaucoma creates pressure inside your eye because fluids contained therein cannot drain out as they should. This can cause damage to your optic nerves, thereby affecting your vision.
Your eye doctor will start you off with oral prescription medication and eye drops to ease the pressure in your eye. So if these do not work, surgery will be the next option. Additionally, if the medication causes you to experience severe side effects, such as impotence, high blood pressure, and rapid heartbeat, surgery might be a better option. Furthermore, if the pressure in your eye is too high, you may need to undergo surgery immediately to save your vision.
Your eye doctor might try laser surgery first. The treatment uses a laser, which is an intense beam of light. It is a minor surgery that can be performed at the clinic or office. You will also be able to go back home after the procedure and resume your normal routine the next day.
When aimed at your eye, it helps to drain the fluid by opening clogged tubes. Full results of the procedure may take a few weeks to manifest. Glaucoma can be treated using different types of laser treatments. Here is a look at some of them.
This laser treatment is for people with primary open-angle glaucoma, and it uses a very low-level laser. It works by treating specific cells. The procedure leaves untreated portions of the trabecular meshwork intact.
This makes SLT a procedure that can be done repeatedly. This is a viable option for patients who have been non-responsive to treatments, such as pressure-lowering drops or Argon Laser Treatment.
This is also a treatment for people with primary open-angle glaucoma. It works by opening clogged tubes in your eye to allow the draining of fluids. As a general precaution, your eye doctor may clear half of the clogs and keep you under observation. Depending on the results, your doctor may proceed to treat the other half. About 75 percent of people with the most common glaucoma are responsive to this treatment.
LPI is a treatment that can help treat people who suffer from narrow-angle glaucoma. This occurs when there is minimal space between your cornea and iris. When this happens, pressure and fluids build up in this region. LPI treatment creates a tiny hole in the iris using a laser beam. This drains the extra fluid and relieves pressure.
When other glaucoma laser treatments have failed, your doctor might recommend this surgery. The treatment involves beaming a laser into a structure in your eye to relieve pressure. However, you might need to do this procedure more than once to keep your glaucoma at bay.
To learn more about glaucoma laser surgery, visit Coastal Vision Medical Group in Orange, Norco, Long Beach, and Irvine, California at (888)501-4496.