Glaucoma Treatment and Management

The following factors increase your risk of developing and are common glaucoma causes:

• advanced age; glaucoma is most common over age 60
• having a family history of glaucoma; you may be at higher risk if your parents or siblings have been diagnosed with the disease
• having a history of eye trauma
• certain anatomical issues in the eye, such as a thin corneas or sensitivity of the optic nerve
• history of long-term use of prednisone or other corticosteroids
• certain medical conditions, like hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, or diabetes

If you have more than one risk factor for glaucoma, be sure to share that with your eye doctor.

Treatment options vary substantially depending on the type of glaucoma and the stage the disease is in. For many glaucoma patients, prescription eye drops are sufficient, but some patients will need systemic medications and/or glaucoma surgery. Our Denver glaucoma treatment doctors have extensive surgical experience with glaucoma patients of all types, and we are experts in minimally invasive glaucoma surgery.

ICON Eyecare glaucoma treatments include:

• LPI: Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI) is a laser treatment for narrow angles, narrow angle glaucoma, and acute angle closure glaucoma. During LPI treatment, a laser is used to target the narrow angles between the iris and cornea in an attempt to widen them and increase fluid flow. This allows the eye to better regulate intraocular pressure.
• iStent®: If you’ve been managing your glaucoma symptoms with medication, and also need cataract surgery, iStent Trabecular Micro-Bypass may be an ideal option for you. iStent is a tiny implant that’s helped thousands of people with glaucoma successfully manage their intraocular pressure and reduce or eliminate their need for hypotensive eyedrops. By taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity during cataract surgery, you can address both conditions at the same time.
• SLT: Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a laser-enabled procedure to treat intraocular pressure (IOP) caused by open-angle glaucoma. Successful SLT treatment typically lasts anywhere from 1 to 5 years. Patients can undergo SLT surgery multiple times as needed. SLT may replace the need for glaucoma medication in some patients, but additional medications may still be needed in some cases.
• CPC/ECP: Cyclophotocoagulation (cyclo-photocoagulation; CPC; or ECP if performed endoscopically) is an alternative glaucoma treatment most often used when glaucoma medication and other surgical treatment options do not lower intraocular pressure (IOP) as much as desired or required. These glaucoma cases are often referred to as ‘refractory,’ or stubborn and resistant to treatment.