Glaucoma Treatmentsin Boston, MA

Glaucoma Treatments: The Considerations for Using Eye Drops

With the growing number of people suffering from Glaucoma across the country, it has become important for all of us to expand our knowledge and awareness about the condition and its treatment. Numerous techniques are being devised to help treat the symptoms of glaucoma, eye drops remain the most common form of treatment. In this latest post, our expert team highlights several considerations for using eye drops in the treatment of glaucoma.

Well Tolerated

Eye drop treatments for glaucoma are well tolerated among the general population. Drops have been used for several years to help treat some of the more common symptoms of the disease, including drainage issues and increases in eye pressure. However, in some patients, eye drops can have some side effects. Thus, a comprehensive eye examination performed by a trusted eye care professional is required before treatment with eye drops is administered.

It’s a Lifetime Commitment

Undertaking eye drop treatment for glaucoma is a lifelong commitment. This means it’s important that patients feel comfortable with the process of administering their eye drops to ensure the best results. When beginning an eye drop regimen, patients must work directly with their specialist to determine the type of eye drops required. They must also closely analyze their eyes after the initial weeks of eye drop use to catch any adverse or allergic reactions.

They’ve been Proven Effective

Eye drops have been proven to be an effective treatment for glaucoma for several years. Studies have shown they have helped patients limit the pressure in their eye and reduce effects such as nausea and diarrhea, which are common in other forms of treatment. The success rate of eye drops and their extensive use in the eye care field means that thousands of patients are achieving ideal results in controlling their glaucoma.

Consistent Application Is Required

One of the most common mistakes patients make when using eye drops is presuming that because their symptoms have diminished, they can stop using the drops. This is far from the case. And yet 40% of patients choose not to take glaucoma medications as prescribed.

Glaucoma is a progressive disease, and using eye drops can help patients prevent vision loss. Patients must only change their eye drop use on the recommendation of their eye care professional. The professional can perform tests to determine the value of the eye drop treatment and suggest potential alternatives, should they be available.

Glaucoma treatments using eye drops are now helping glaucoma patients prevent vision loss. To discover more on the latest products, contact our office team directly.

Glaucoma Treatments: The Benefits of SLT

With glaucoma now affecting millions of people across the country, specialists have worked tirelessly to develop treatments to this common health issue. One of the newest options for glaucoma patients is selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT). SLT is now helping glaucoma patients improve their vision and their comfort levels. In this latest post, we’ll take a closer look at SLT and its treatment benefits.

What is SLT?

Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a form of laser surgery in which the specialist can lower intraocular pressure. It can be used as a substitute for eye drops or in addition to a drop regimen. It works by applying the laser to the drainage tissue in the eye, which results in a chemical change in the tissue to improve drainage. This helps lower the pressure in the patient’s eye. This can be likened to cleaning the drain in a sink – after the SLT, the outflow channels of the eye are more effective at lowering the pressure inside the eye.

What are SLT’s Benefits?

There are a significant number of benefits to using SLT in treating the symptoms of glaucoma. These benefits include the following:

• Proven effective: The latest studies show that SLT has been proven effective in the vast majority of patients. 75% of patients that undergo SLT experience some form of pressure relief from the treatment.

• Repeatable: One of the challenges with other forms of glaucoma treatment is that they cannot be repeated regularly. This means patients have to wait for a certain period of time before continuing their treatment. Using SLT, doctors are able to repeatedly target the same area in the eye because the laser doesn’t cause damage to the vital eye structures.

• Limits reliance on drops: Many patients find eye drops challenging to use. They aren’t always able to apply the drops directly themselves, and often they don’t get the required amount of liquid in the eye. Patients can also forget to use their eye drops during the day. By using SLT, glaucoma patients can minimize the need to use eye drops and turn to professionals for an effective solution to their on-going eye health issues.

• Minimal treatment time: The treatment time for SLT is just a few minutes in the eye doctors office. This means that patients can fit the treatment in their schedule easily as they achieve a convenient method of treating their eye health issues.

Our expert team is now available throughout the day to guide you and discuss your SLT options. To learn more about SLT and its benefits for glaucoma patients, call our offices today at (617) 471-5665

Different Types of Glaucoma Surgery

With a large proportion of the United States experiencing the challenging symptoms of glaucoma, experts around the globe are now working tirelessly to find more treatments to this common eye care issue. Glaucoma is a progressive disease that must be met with the latest in surgical techniques. To help provide greater detail on the treatments available, we’ll take a look at some of the leading surgical options in the eye care field.

Micro-Invasive Surgery

Micro-invasive treatment options are now empowering surgeons with the ability to achieve greater precision as they operate on patients. Micro-invasive options such as the Trabectome and the iStent Trabecular Micro-Bypass were the first such systems used in the United States. Typically, these micro-invasive surgical treatments are designed for those with mild to moderate forms of glaucoma. The ideal candidate for this type of surgery is one that does not have extensive visual field loss. Micro-invasive treatments will help patients reduce IOP (Intra-Ocular Pressure) but not to the degree required by those with a significant level of visual field loss.

Micro-invasive Tube Shunt Surgery

Both the Trabectome and the IStent are microscopic tube shunts that are used to bypass the normal outflow channels of the eye.  Often, a surgeon will choose tube shunt surgery when they believe that other forms of surgical intervention will have little value for the glaucoma patient. The doctor will also use this option when the patient has a difficult time controlling their glaucoma.  These cases call for significant surgical expertise and the implementation of the tube shunt surgery.

The tube shunt surgery has been shown in studies to significantly reduce IOP while limiting the need for the patient to undergo further procedures. Another advantage of the tube shunt surgery is that there is less of a chance of the patient experiencing scarring that may block their drainage opening.

What to Expect After Surgery?

It’s important for patients to research the surgical process carefully and learn what they can do to improve their recovery after surgery. When undergoing micro-invasive surgery to mitigate the impact of glaucoma, patients might be asked to take a day or two from work to recover. Whereas those that have undergone the tube shunt surgery will have to avoid any activity that might jar the eye – including bending, lifting and straining muscles – for at least a few weeks after the surgery is complete.

Before reviewing surgical options, patients can speak with their specialist while working with them to determine the ideal course of treatment. Our team is available now to answer your questions and help safeguard your eye health for the coming years.

Give us a call at (617) 471-5665