Glaucoma
is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, and its prevalence
will continue to increase as our population ages. For most patients, the
initial treatment for glaucoma will begin with eye drops or laser treatment, or
even both. Patients often have a difficult time adhering to a schedule of
single or even multiple doses of eye drops and thus find an initial laser
treatment beneficial. Sometimes even with eye drops and laser treatment for
glaucoma it is not possible to lower the intraocular pressure enough to reduce
the risk of vision loss. For these patients there has been the next step of
complex incisional glaucoma surgery. Recent advances in Minimally Invasive
Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) using microscopic stents has been shown to provide
excellent results for many glaucoma patients. Reports in the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery of patients who had
iStent-a tiny titanium stent-implanted through a microscopic incision, had
excellent pressure lowering and even were able to reduce their need for eye
drops! The data shared was from a long term 5 year clinical study and offers
great promise for glaucoma patients.
The
best way to prevent vision loss from glaucoma is by having regular eye exams
and glaucoma testing as recommended by your eye doctor. Schedule an eye exam at
Alabama
Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or www.facebook.com/alabamaeyecataractcenter.
Alabama Eye & Cataract Center is a
leading eye care center in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th
Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye
doctors and eye specialists.
