Glaucoma Treatment Options

Medications

Medical technology can often times bring miracles. Glaucoma is usually treated with daily eye drops that decrease eye pressure either by slowing the amount of fluid produced within the eye or by improving the flow through the drainage angle. Glaucoma medications may produce side effects, so be sure to talk to your doctor if you experience any unusual symptoms.

What to Expect

• Outpatient surgery: Usually done in an operating room with sedation.
• Recovery: Vision may be blurry for days to weeks; several follow-up visits are needed.
• Eye drops after surgery: Used to prevent infection and help healing.
• Goal: Lower eye pressure to slow or prevent vision loss.

SLT – Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty

Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a gentle laser treatment for glaucoma. It uses short pulses of low-energy light to treat the drainage tissue inside the eye (called the trabecular meshwork). This helps the fluid drain more easily, which lowers eye pressure.

• Quick procedure: Takes just a few minutes in the office.
• Safe and repeatable: The laser targets only pigmented cells, leaving surrounding tissue unharmed.
• No incision: It’s not surgery—just a laser light through a microscope.
• Recovery: Most patients return to normal activities the same day.
• Effect: Pressure lowering may last several years; the treatment can be repeated if needed.

SLT is often used as a first treatment instead of eye drops, or combined with drops if more pressure control is needed.

Laser Peripheral Iridotomy

Laser peripheral iridotomy is a quick, in-office laser procedure used to treat or prevent angle-closure glaucoma.

In this condition, the natural drainage system of the eye can become blocked by the iris (the colored part of the eye), which may cause eye pressure to rise suddenly and damage the optic nerve.

The laser creates a tiny opening at the edge of the iris, which helps fluid (aqueous humor) flow more freely inside the eye. This keeps the drainage angle open and lowers the risk of a dangerous pressure spike.

What to Expect?

• Outpatient procedure: Done in the office, takes just a few minutes
• Comfort: Eye drops are used to numb the eye; patients may feel a brief pinch of light.
• Recovery: Vision may be a little blurry or light-sensitive for a few hours. Most return to normal activities the same day.
• Follow-up: Eye pressure is checked soon after the procedure and at future visits.

Benefits and Risks

• Benefits: Prevents angle closure attacks, reduces risk of vision loss.
• Risks: Temporary eye redness, light sensitivity, or glare/halos from the new opening. Serious complications are rare.

Sustained Drug Delivery

Durysta® is a tiny, dissolvable implant placed inside the eye to lower eye pressure in glaucoma or ocular hypertension. It slowly releases bimatoprost, a medication already used in glaucoma eye drops, directly where it’s needed.

• One-time procedure: Inserted in the office via a painless procedure.
• Chance to reduce or elimate daily drops
• Comfortable: The implant is not felt once placed
• Dissolves naturally: Over several months, the implant safely dissolves in the eye.

Durysta® can help reduce or even eliminate the need for glaucoma drops for a period of time.

Traditional Glaucoma Surgery

When eye drops, laser treatments, or minimally invasive glaucoma surgery are not enough to control glaucoma, surgery may be needed to create a new drainage pathway to lower eye pressure and protect vision.

There are several main types:

Trabeculectomy (“Trab”)

A small flap is made in the white part of the eye to allow fluid to drain into a tiny pocket (bleb) under the eyelid.

Glaucoma Drainage Implant (“Tube Shunt”)

A soft tube connected to a small plate is placed inside the eye to help fluid drain more effectively.

XEN® Gel Stent

A tiny, flexible stent (smaller than an eyelash) is inserted through a microscopic incision to create a new drainage channel.