Glaucom is a group of eye diseases in which the optic nerve is damaged This damage is often caused by abnormal pressure on the eye, and in order to solve this problem, it is necessary to perform glaucoma surgery. Glaucoma is one of the main causes of blindness in people over 60 years old. Of course, this disease can occur at any age, but glaucoma is a more common disease in the elderly.

Since the blindness caused by glaucoma cannot be cured, it is important that the disease is diagnosed in the early stages and cataract surgery is performed quickly. If glaucoma is diagnosed early, vision loss can be reduced and prevented. In the following, we will introduce you to this disease and talk about how to treat it.

Black water symptoms

The symptoms of this disease are different depending on the type and stage of the disease. Among the most important symptoms of glaucoma, the following can be mentioned:

Open angle glaucoma

• Creating patchy blind spots in peripheral (peripheral) or central vision, often in both eyes
• Tunnel vision in advanced stages of the disease

Acute angle-closure glaucoma

• severe headache
• eye pain
• nausea and vomiting
• blurry
• creating halos around lights
• red eyes

If glaucoma is not treated and glaucoma surgery is not performed, this disease will eventually cause blindness. Statistics show that even with treatment, about 15% of people with glaucoma become blind in at least one eye within 20 years.

factors affecting black water

There are various factors that can increase the percentage of black water. You should fully understand these risk factors and if you feel that you have glaucoma, it is necessary to see a doctor. Among the most important factors affecting glaucoma, the following can be mentioned:

• Having intraocular pressure
• Age over 60
• Having a black, Asian or Hispanic race
• Having a family history of glaucoma
• having certain diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and sickle cell anemia
• Having corneas that are thin in the center
• Being extremely nearsighted or farsighted
• Consumption of corticosteroid drugs, especially eye drops for a long time

prevention of glaucoma

Doing some self-care can help you detect glaucoma in its early stages and prevent or slow the progression of vision loss. Regular eye exams can help you detect your disease in the early stages. If you are under 40 years old, it is better to have a comprehensive eye examination every 5 to 10 years.

If you are 40 to 54 years old, you should have your eyes checked every two to four years, and if you are 55 to 64 years old, you should have your eyes checked every one to three years. Finally, if you are over 65 years old, it is necessary to see an ophthalmologist every one to two years.

Glaucoma usually runs in families as a hereditary disease. For this reason, if you have a history of this disease in your family and perform hemorrhoid surgery, it is necessary to do frequent screening. Getting regular exercise can also help lower eye pressure and serve as a preventative measure to prevent glaucoma. The use of eye drops prescribed by a specialist doctor and the use of eye protection are also the most important methods of preventing glaucoma.

Primary treatments before glaucoma surgery

The damage caused by glaucoma cannot be reversed, but early treatment and regular checkups can help you significantly reduce the risk of developing this disease. At the beginning and before glaucoma surgery, we see the use of eye drops, oral medications, laser therapy, etc. to treat this disease. In order to examine these treatment methods, the following can be mentioned:

Using eye drops

Before glaucoma surgery, the treatment of this disease starts with prescribing eye drops. Using drops can help drain the fluid from the eye and also reduce the amount of pressure on the eye. The side effects of using eye drops include redness and mild irritation of the eyes, darkening of the iris, darkening of eyelash pigment and blurred vision.

Beta blockers

These drugs reduce the production of fluid in your eye and lower your eye pressure. Possible side effects of these drugs include difficulty breathing, slow heart rate, blood pressure, impotence, and fatigue.

oral drugs

If eye drops alone do not lower your eye pressure, your doctor may also prescribe oral medication before glaucoma surgery. These drugs are usually a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. The most important side effects of taking these drugs include frequent urination, tingling of fingers and toes, depression, stomach upset, and kidney stones.

Types of glaucoma surgery

If the usual methods to treat glaucoma are not effective, it is necessary to perform cataract surgery. For the purpose of surgery, the following techniques are used in order to improve the drainage of fluid in the eye and reduce the pressure on the eye:

laser trabeculoplasty

One of the glaucoma surgery methods is laser trabeculoplasty, which is used in the case of open-angle glaucoma. This surgical procedure is performed in the doctor's office, where the doctor uses a small laser beam to open blocked channels in the trabecular meshwork. After performing this operation, it may take a few weeks to see the full effect of this method.

Glaucoma trabeculectomy surgery

One of the glaucoma surgery methods is trabeculectomy, in which the surgeon makes a hole in the white of the eye (sclera) and removes part of the trabecular meshwork.

use of drainage pipes

In this technique, the surgeon inserts a small tube into the eye. This tube causes the extra fluid inside the eye to be drained, thereby reducing the pressure on the eye.

MIGS glaucoma surgery

One of the cataract surgery methods is the MIGS method. This method requires less post-operative care and is less risky than other methods.

Acute angle-closure glaucoma surgery

Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a serious condition, and if it is diagnosed, you will need immediate treatment to reduce the pressure on the eye. The treatment of this disease generally requires medication and surgical procedures. Iridotomy glaucoma surgery is generally used to treat this method. In this method, the doctor creates a small hole in the iris using a laser. Creating this hole allows fluid (aqueous fluid) to flow through it and reduce eye pressure.

Patient's lifestyle after glaucoma surgery

After glaucoma surgery, it is necessary to change your lifestyle in order to reduce the amount of pressure on your eyes and reduce the post-operative risks. First of all, it is necessary to have a healthy diet after the operation. Eating a healthy diet can help you stay healthy. Using different vitamins and nutrients will help your eye health. Be sure to include nutrients and vitamins such as zinc, copper, selenium and antioxidant vitamins C, E and A in your diet.

Talk to your doctor about having a proper exercise program, as regular exercise can reduce eye strain. Another important point is to reduce caffeine consumption. Because the use of caffeinated drinks will increase your eye pressure. Doctors suggest that you drink fluids regularly after glaucoma surgery. Also, sleep with your head up. Because using a pillow that keeps your head a little higher reduces the pressure on the eyes while sleeping.

After glaucoma surgery, the doctor will prescribe you various medications and it is necessary to take the prescribed medications regularly. Be sure to take the drops according to the doctor's prescription, because otherwise, you will have various optic nerve problems.

Concluding remarks

In this article, we examined the glaucoma disease and we tried to familiarize you with the types of glaucoma surgery along with the examination of this disease. Paying attention to the points mentioned in this article will help you to have enough knowledge about this disease and its treatment methods, so that you can treat your cataract.

Nowadays, many doctors use different methods to solve the problem of glaucoma, and you can go to doctors specializing in ophthalmology to treat this disease and ask them to treat your disease with cataract surgery.