It is possible to treat glaucoma without drops and without surgery
As we know glaucoma It is a disease where there is a progressive atrophy of the optic nerve. Although it is a multifactorial disease, the most important mechanism for the progression of glaucoma is high eye pressure.
So far the means available to lower eye pressure are:
- Topical treatment: instillation of drops in the eyes.
- Selective laser trabeculoplasty.
- Glaucoma surgery.
When we initially detect glaucoma we recommend treatment with drops to lower pressure.
As we already know, the instillation of drops chronically produces a series of side effects at the ocular level such as “Dry Eye” and redness of the eyes, among others. These side effects can lead to significant discomfort for the glaucoma patient, especially considering that we are talking about a chronic treatment. In these cases, surgery is proposed as a means to eliminate the drops and thus improve the ocular surface. But now a study is underway to solve this problem, it consists of the introduction of a 1 mm diameter device through a small cannula in the front part of the eye. This small ball continuously releases the medication for a period of 4 months, so that the patient does not have to instill drops to control their glaucoma and can avoid all the side effects of topical administration of the medication.
The truth is that it is an interesting idea, since it is a novel way of administering medication and can lead to great liberation for the patient as they do not have to be aware of the treatment and ensure good compliance with the medication. NO LONGER depend on the ability to put drops! On a medical level, this novelty allows us to have the peace of mind of knowing that IOP control will be continuous 24.0 hours a day and makes it easier to prevent the progression of this disease.
This new route of drug administration can make life easier for both the patient and the doctor.
glaucoma treatment
