Glaucoma treatment and eye care in Coimbatore

Diagnosis

Before getting treatment, the patient should get a thorough diagnosis. Diagnosis for glaucoma includes a detailed patient history and imaging test. Common diagnostic tests required for glaucoma are:

• Physical examination: Your ophthalmologist will take a detailed medical and family history and perform a comprehensive eye exam to look for any signs of redness, dryness, swelling, decreased visual acuity, etc.
• Tonometry: Tonometry helps measure intraocular pressure by applying slight air pressure to the cornea to gauge the severity of the condition.
• Retinal imaging test: Retinal imaging test provides a digital image of about 80% of the eye and helps in diagnosing eye disorders.
• Visual field test: A visual field test helps assess peripheral vision and check for areas of vision loss. 
• Pachymetry: Pachymetry is a quick and painless test that helps measure the corneal thickness to determine if the glaucoma is caused due to a corneal abnormality.
• Gonioscopy: For gonioscopy, the eye doctor uses a  special lens and slit lamp to inspect the drainage angle of the eye to diagnose the type and cause of glaucoma. 

Treatment

• Medical management: Medical management for glaucoma is done through eyedrops and tablets that help lower the intraocular pressure. However, to ensure the success of the treatment, the patient should make sure they do not skip or delay their medicine. Prescription eyedrops and oral medicines for glaucoma include prostaglandins, beta blockers, alpha-adrenergic drugs, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, rho-kinase inhibitors, or cholinergic drugs.
• Laser therapy: Laser treatment helps clear any blockages in the trabecular system and restore the flow to decrease the intraocular pressure and manage glaucoma. Common laser treatments for glaucoma include YAG laser peripheral iridotomy, argon laser trabeculoplasty, diode laser myeloablation, and selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT).
• TRAB surgery (Trabeculectomy): During a trabeculectomy, the eye surgeon creates a flap in the sclera to expose the internal trabecular network and create an alternative pathway for the drainage of an extra aqueous liquid to control intraocular pressure. After the surgery, there is a small swelling under the eyebrow where the liquid collects before draining out.
• Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS): MIGS is a collection of low-risk eye surgeries that helps reduce intraocular pressure by alternative approaches such as bypassing the trabecular network, increasing outflow through micro eye stents, creating an alternative pathway for liquid drainage through valvular surgery, etc. The surgery is less risky than trabeculectomy and yields better results.