Non-surgical Solutions for Degenerative Eye DiseaseGlaucoma Treatment – Smithtown, Riverhead, Long Island

Glaucoma Treatment – Smithtown, Riverhead, Long IslandIf you suffer from glaucoma, a group of degenerative eye diseases caused by fluid buildup within the anterior chamber of the eye that results in pressure on the optic nerve, it may be possible to alleviate your symptoms and treat the underlying cause of your condition non-surgically. At North Shore Eye Care, our team of eye doctors has extensive experience in the treatment of degenerative eye diseases, and they can call upon their expertise to determine the treatment most effective at meeting your needs. If you require glaucoma treatment, we can provide care at our Long Island centers - Smithtown, Riverhead, Deer Park, and Holbrook. After diagnosing your eye condition, we can devise a treatment plan that will be tailored to your needs. If we feel that your needs can be met non-surgically, we will adopt just such an approach. To arrange a consultation with our team, please don't hesitate to contact our Long Island eye care center today. We would be happy to help.

Glaucoma Treatment - Prescription Medicines

Though severe cases of glaucoma may require surgical care to treat, early onset glaucoma can usually be treated non-surgically through prescription medicines, including pills and eye drops. The type of medication that is right for you will be determined through a comprehensive eye examination at one of our Long Island offices, such as Smithtown or Riverhead - we can then provide glaucoma treatment. The two most common types of non-surgical glaucoma treatment are as follows:

  • Eye Drops - Medical eye drops allow pressure on the eye to be reduced, thus eliminating the cause of glaucoma and alleviating the symptoms. However, eye drops may interfere with other medications and inhibit them from working properly. If you are taking any medications, it's important that you inform us of all medications or supplements that you are taking. If you are still a candidate for eye drops, we will advise you on proper dosages, how often to use to the eye drops, and for how long. We will also demonstrate how to properly administer the eye drops, as some people find the task difficult. Typically, eye drops work very well, but some patients may experience redness, stinging, or burning.
  • Pills - Medication can also be administered through pill form. Pills intended for glaucoma treatment work by promoting proper fluid drainage from the anterior chamber of the eye, alleviating pressure on the optic nerve. There are multiple medications that can be utilized, and if you respond poorly to one, a different dosage or different medication altogether may be prescribed. Once an effective medication has been determined, it's important that you follow dosage guidelines, as prescribed by your doctor. Early onset glaucoma often has little to no symptoms, and so it may be tempting to stop taking glaucoma medicine. It's important to remember however that the medicine in preventive in nature; vision that has already been lost due to glaucoma cannot be improved through medication.

The use of non-surgical glaucoma treatment is typically reserved for early onset disease. If we diagnose your glaucoma early, we can provide care to prevent it from degrading your vision. If medication alone is unable to properly treat the causes of the disease, surgical glaucoma treatment can then be explored. African-Americans over the age of 40 and all men and women over the age of 60 are at increased risk for glaucoma. Through routine, annual eye examinations, we can determine whether you are developing this condition.

Contact North Shore Eye Care

We highly encourage you to seek treatment if you are experiencing symptoms associated with glaucoma, including poor peripheral vision or tunnel vision. Even if you have yet to experience the symptoms of glaucoma, we recommend that you visit the eye doctor on a routine basis so that any potential issues can be addressed before they have a chance to deteriorate. To inquire about glaucoma treatment, contact our eye care offices in Smithtown, Riverhead, and Long Island today.