Glaucoma Treatment Lebanon, PA

Glaucoma treatment is right here in Lebanon, PA at Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania at 770 Norman Drive. Most patients don’t even know they have glaucoma; the condition develops over many years and has no signs or symptoms. If it has been a while since you’ve had an eye exam, make an appointment so we can do a thorough assessment of your eye health. It is important to know that over three million Americans are diagnosed with glaucoma each year. If you end up being one of them, we have the best glaucoma doctors and treatments around.

Medical Treatment

When we diagnose glaucoma in the early stages, we usually prescribe medications first. If those are not successful, we will recommend surgery, but medications are usually very effective. For example, we can prescribe eye drops that lower the eye’s internal pressure. Glaucoma is caused by a rise in the eye (intraocular) pressure which can damage the optic nerve and affect vision. We often use a combination of eye drops to control the condition.

Beta blockers are most often recognized as a cardiac medication but are also used to help reduceintraocular pressure. Beta blockers help the body decrease production of eye fluid (called aqueous humor) which lowers the pressure. Beta blockers are generally well tolerated by most patients, but some patients experience shortness of breath, particularly those with asthma or other respiratory disorders. Common medications are Timolol, Betagan, Cosopt and Betopic.

Prostaglandins are a group of drugs we also use to reduce intraocular pressure. These drugs increase the drainage of the fluid from the eye. We widely prescribe these as a first line of treatment, and usually recommend a single night time application. Glaucoma is managed well with prostaglandin medications, generally reducing the pressure by as much as 30 percent.

Most patients respond well to prostaglandin medications. Some patients may experience slight eye redness or irritation, particularly when first starting use of prostaglandin medications. Commonly prescribed medications in this category are Xalatan, Travatan Z, and Lumigan.

Surgical Treatment

If the above medical therapies for glaucoma end up being ineffective, and your eye pressure remains too high, our eye doctors will likely recommend one of several types of glaucoma surgery. All surgeries are designed to lower intraocular pressure in order to halt further optic nerve damage and vision loss. Laser surgery is usual the first procedure recommended, but if that does not sufficiently lower pressure, we may recommend an incisional surgery.

Has it been a while since you’ve had an eye exam? Are you worried about glaucoma? No need to fret. Come in and see us today. If you can’t remember the last time you had an eye exam, that means it has been too long! Come see us, and if you need glaucoma treatment, our Lebanon PA office is the place to be. Make an appointment with Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania today. Undetected, glaucoma can lead to blindness, so don’t wait. Call us at 610-378-8500 or schedule an online appointment today.