Glaucoma Treatment

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If you’ve been diagnosed with glaucoma, you’re probably already familiar with the typical options in glaucoma treatment – eye drops, laser treatment or traditional surgery. While these are certainly effective, especially when glaucoma is diagnosed early, researchers have been working hard to offer new glaucoma treatments. Their goal is not only to improve outcomes but also reduce the treatment’s side effects and frequency of use.

What is the Goal of Glaucoma Treatment?

Before we dive into the new options, it’s important to understand the goal of any glaucoma treatment. At present, glaucoma is not curable. However, treatment can significantly slow the progression of the disease. Glaucoma damages your eye's optic nerve. Glaucoma is a progressive eye disease caused by a buildup of fluid within the eye, leading to increased pressure that can damage the optic nerve and result in permanent vision loss if left untreated. Reducing this pressure is the primary objective of any glaucoma treatment. This is often referred to as intraocular pressure or IOP.

Standard Glaucoma Treatments

Intraocular pressure–lowering eye drops are the cornerstone of glaucoma treatment, working by either reducing the amount of fluid the eye produces or improving the drainage of fluid out of the eye to lower pressure inside the eye. By effectively decreasing intraocular pressure, these medications help protect the optic nerve from further damage and slow the progression of the disease. Over the years, glaucoma eye drops have had a profoundly positive impact on patient outcomes—significantly reducing the risk of vision loss, preserving functional sight, and providing a safe, non-invasive first line of defense for millions of individuals. When used consistently as prescribed, these medications remain one of the most effective and reliable tools in long-term glaucoma management.

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Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery

Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) procedures are small cuts or micro-incisions through the cornea that cause the least amount of trauma to the surrounding tissues. Doctors implant a tiny device to allow fluid to drain from the eye, reducing internal pressure. Some devices (iStent) are implanted during cataract surgery. Cataract surgery alone lowers pressure, but the combination of both is more effective and can lower the need for medication.

These new techniques minimize tissue scarring, allowing for the possibility of traditional glaucoma surgery in the future if needed. They also give doctors the opportunity to treat patients earlier and more safely than older surgeries.

Monitoring Eye Pressure

If you have a glaucoma diagnosis, you can feel confident that your glaucoma treatment options are only going to improve in the years ahead. Although the disease is not curable, it is very manageable with the right treatment.