Health Education

After examination by a doctor, if glaucoma has been confirmed, early treatment should be received to avoid further damage to the optic nerve. Therapeutic methods include drug therapy, laser or surgical treatment.

Drug therapy

Eye medicine or oral medicine for glaucoma can reduce the formation of aqueous humor or promote the discharge of aqueous humor, thereby reducing intraocular pressure, so that glaucoma can be well controlled.

Side effects that may arise from the use of drugs

• Red eyes, tingling or blurred vision, headache, etc.
• Adverse effects on the patient's pulse, heartbeat and breathing.
• Possible dizziness, numbness of hands and feet, loss of appetite, etc.

Therefore, if you have asthma, heart disease, kidney dysfunction and other systemic diseases, please inform the doctor first to ensure the safety of your medication. Glaucoma can only be well controlled if the drug is used according to the doctor's instructions and cannot be discontinued without the doctor's consent. If there are any questions, consult an ophthalmologist to avoid deterioration of the condition and irrecoverable visual impairment.

Laser or surgical treatment

Laser, surgery or cryotherapy should be considered if the drop in intraocular pressure after medication is unsatisfactory, or if the medication has side effects that cannot be used.

• Laser therapy mainly uses laser irradiation to open the drainage canal and promote the discharge of aqueous humor.
• Surgical treatment is performed to reconstruct a new drainage canal.
• Cryotherapy destroys the ciliary body to reduce the production of aqueous humor.

With the development of ophthalmology, laser or surgical treatment is quite safe, and few serious complications occur.

Prevention of glaucoma

For people over 40 years old and those with family history of glaucoma, and with high myopia, hypertension and diabetes, it is advised to go to the hospital regularly (at least once a year) to measure intraocular pressure and receive eye health examination so as to detect and treat it as early as possible.

If you have the following symptoms, please go to the ophthalmology department as soon as possible.

• Blurry vision, narrowing peripheral vision (not as wide as you can see out of the corner of your eye).
• Colorful halos when looking at lights at night.
• Headache and swelling of eyes when viewing objects in the dark.
• Headache, eye swelling, nausea and vomiting.