Glaucoma treatment: practical options to lower pressure and protect vision
Glaucoma means damage to the optic nerve, usually from high pressure inside the eye. The main goal of treatment is simple: lower eye pressure to slow or stop vision loss. You can’t reverse nerve damage, but timely treatment often keeps sight stable for years. Here’s a clear look at what works, when it’s used, and what you can do every day.
Medication and laser options
Most people start with prescription eye drops. Drops reduce fluid production or improve drainage. Common types include prostaglandin analogs (often once daily), beta-blockers, alpha-agonists, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, and newer rho-kinase drugs. Side effects can be local (redness, stinging) or more general (fatigue, breathing issues), so tell your doctor about other health problems and meds.
Adherence matters. Missing doses is the most common reason pressure stays high. Use reminders, link drops to a daily habit (breakfast, brushing teeth), or ask your pharmacist about devices that help with dosing. If side effects or cost are an issue, your doctor can try a different drug or combination.
If drops aren’t enough or you can’t use them regularly, laser treatments are an option. Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) is widely used: it helps the eye drain better and often reduces the need for drops. SLT is quick, done in clinic, and can be repeated. Some patients get good control for years after one session.
Surgery, monitoring, and daily life
Surgery is reserved for when drops and laser don’t reach target pressure or when vision is worsening. Traditional options like trabeculectomy and tube shunts create new drainage paths. Newer procedures, called MIGS (minimally invasive glaucoma surgery), work well for mild to moderate glaucoma and have faster recovery but may lower pressure less dramatically. Discuss risks, recovery time, and likely pressure goals with your surgeon.
Follow-up is a key part of treatment. Regular visits usually include eye pressure checks, visual field tests, and OCT scans of the optic nerve. These tests track changes so treatment can be adjusted before vision loss progresses.
Small daily choices help too. Moderate exercise can lower eye pressure for some people. Avoid routine heavy straining and long periods of head-down positions. If you use steroid drops for another eye condition, tell your eye doctor—steroids can raise pressure. Also keep blood pressure and diabetes under control since they affect optic nerve health.
Be alert for urgent symptoms: sudden eye pain, nausea, blurry vision, or halos around lights. Those can signal acute closed-angle glaucoma and need immediate care. For everything else, talk openly with your eye doctor about your lifestyle, side effects, and treatment goals. That teamwork gives you the best shot at keeping the vision you have.
