Glaucoma

What it is

Glaucoma is damage to the optic nerve, which carries visual information from the eye to the brain. Eye pressure is an important risk factor, but glaucoma can occur at pressures that seem normal. High pressure alone also does not prove that someone has glaucoma. Treatment aims to protect the vision that remains; it cannot restore nerve damage already caused by glaucoma. ¹

What you may notice first

Often, nothing. The common open-angle form usually has no early pain or warning symptoms. Loss of side vision can develop slowly enough to go unnoticed. Regular examinations are especially important when there is a family history or other risk factors. ¹

How it is diagnosed and followed

An eye-pressure reading is only one part of the evaluation. Your doctor may examine the drainage angle, measure corneal thickness, inspect and image the optic nerve with OCT, and perform a visual-field test to map your side vision. Repeating tests over time helps show whether damage is progressing. ² · ³

Usual treatment options

• Prescription drops lower eye pressure. Tell your clinician if cost, side effects, or difficulty using the bottle makes treatment hard to maintain.
• Selective laser trabeculoplasty, or SLT, helps fluid drain through the eye’s natural drainage tissue in appropriate open-angle cases. It can be an initial treatment or part of a broader plan. Its effect may wear off, and drops or further treatment may still be needed.
• Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, or MIGS, includes several procedures intended to improve drainage, sometimes alongside cataract surgery. Suitability depends on glaucoma type, severity, eye anatomy, and the pressure reduction needed.
• Other glaucoma surgery, including filtering surgery or drainage devices, may be needed when a lower pressure target cannot be reached adequately with other approaches.

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Medication implants

Beatific Vision offers evaluation for DURYSTA and iDose TR, which release pressure-lowering medicine inside the eye. They are options for selected patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. These medication implants are different from drainage stents.

DURYSTA releases bimatoprost and is limited by its labeling to one implant per eye without retreatment because of potential corneal endothelial cell loss. iDose TR releases travoprost; its labeling contains specific assessment and monitoring requirements, including criteria for readministration. These products are not interchangeable, and neither guarantees that future drops or procedures will be unnecessary. The choice depends on drainage-angle anatomy, corneal health, other eye conditions, and the pressure goal. ⁷ · ⁸

When to seek urgent care

A sudden painful red eye with blurred vision, halos, headache, nausea, or vomiting can signal an acute pressure emergency. Seek immediate medical attention. Do not wait for your next glaucoma appointment. ¹

Questions to ask

• What is my target pressure, and do my scans or visual fields show change?
• How do the expected benefits and risks of drops, SLT, MIGS, or a medication implant compare for my eyes?