Glaucoma Treatment & Surgery

Treatments for glaucoma can prevent against further damage, however this diagnosis is permanent once damage occurs. Our clinic provides a variety of treatment options that range from minimally invasive such as eye drops, laser and surgery if necessary.

Medications

The initial method of treatment usually includes eye drops and laser that work to prevent elevated intraocular pressure.
There are two methods that accomplish this:

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Prostaglandin Analog

This eye drop is responsible for shunting fluid out of your eye through existing pathways in your eye.

Brand names:

Travatan
Xalatan
Lumigan

Possible side effects:

red, stinging or painful eyes after using drops
blurry vision
a permanent change in your eye color (occurs mostly in hazel eyes)
an increase in length of eyelashes
darkening of the eyelid
upper respiratory tract infections, such as colds and flu
light sensitivity
eyes gradually sinking deeper into their sockets, keeping eyelids from working properly

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Aqueous Suppressants

Another method is to decrease fluid production in the back of your eye that may be increasing your eye pressure.

Brand names:

Timoptic
Combigan
Cosopt
Alphagan

Possible side effects:

red, stinging or painful eyes after using drops
blurry vision
breathing problems in people with asthma, emphysema, or COPD
a slow or irregular heartbeat
feeling tired/depression
dizziness
a change in sex drive or sexual function
getting overly tired during exercise
in people with diabetes, low blood sugar symptoms becoming difficult to notice

Red, stinging, or painful eyes may be a temporary and can dissipate on its own. However, if you see worsening or persisting side effects please contact our clinic before you stop taking your glaucoma medications.

Laser Surgery

Iridotomy

This is an outpatient procedure that can be completed at our clinic located on West Avenue. We encourage you to set apart a morning as it is only a 30 minute appointment. This procedure is geared if you have angle-closure glaucoma. It is a way to treat and prevent future eye pressure spikes that could worsen your glaucoma condition. In this procedure, the ophthalmologist uses a laser to create a small hole in the iris. It can only be observed under a microscope but functions to assist in fluid flow to the drainage angle.

Operating Room Surgery

Glaucoma Drainage Devices

The opthamologist may require to place a drainage device in your eye, called Xen gel stent, that is a surgical implant designed to lower your high eye pressure. This procedure is designed for people with open angle glaucoma that have failed conservative measures such as eye drops or iridotomy. This stent is able to create a channel from the corner of the iris to the conjunctiva, which is the membrane that covers the white part of your eye. The channel will provide an alternative route for excess fluid that may be causing the elevated eye pressure to exit through the channel.

Dr. Velasquez prefers a conservative approach to treating glaucoma and performs surgery only when indicated. He has a special interest in minimally invasive glaucoma surgery performed at the time of cataract surgery.

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