What is glaucoma and can it be cured?

In general, glaucoma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled. Eye drops, pills, laser procedures, and surgical operations are used to prevent or slow further damage from occurring. With any type of glaucoma, regular eye examinations are very important to detect progression and to prevent vision loss.

Can glaucoma patients recover?

It’s important to note that glaucoma cannot be cured, so surgery is often needed. Surgery results are long-lasting, but not permanent. New technology and innovation in medicine have also lowered glaucoma surgery risks. There are different surgery options used to help control glaucoma.

How long do glaucoma patients live?

There are no long‐term population‐based studies of life expectancy in patients with glaucoma. However, the average life expectancy of white patients with chronic open angle glaucoma has been calculated from cross‐sectional analysis to be approximately 12.8 years.

Is glaucoma treatment successful?

Success Rate Most of the related studies document follow-up for a one year period. In those reports, it shows that in older patients, glaucoma filtering surgery is successful in about 70-90\% of cases, for at least one year. Occasionally, the surgically-created drainage hole begins to close and the pressure rises again.

How fast can you go blind from glaucoma?

Glaucoma is generally considered a slow-progressing disease of the eye. In the most common form of glaucoma, primary open-angle glaucoma, damage to the retinal cells occurs quite slowly. Untreated glaucoma can progress to blindness within several years.

How long does it take to recover from glaucoma surgery?

The glaucoma surgery recovery process is often described as only involving mild discomfort. Yet, your personal health and the type of surgery you have can affect your recovery time. Both filtration surgery and glaucoma laser surgery recovery periods have similar timeframes. You can expect about a month for a full recovery.

What is glaucoma and how can you prevent it?

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness for people over 60 years old. But blindness from glaucoma can often be prevented with early treatment. In a healthy eye, excess fluid leaves the eye through the drainage angle, keeping pressure stable. What Causes Glaucoma?

Can I Drive Myself home after glaucoma surgery?

Driving is not recommended while recovering from glaucoma surgery. It’s also important to have someone drive you home after surgery. This also includes having a driver for any follow-up appointments with your doctor. During recovery, be sure to pay attention to your own comfort levels.

Is there a cure for open-angle glaucoma?

There is no cure (yet) for glaucoma. Glaucoma is not curable, and vision lost cannot be regained. With medication and/or surgery, it is possible to halt further loss of vision. Since open-angle glaucoma is a chronic condition, it must be monitored for life. Diagnosis is the first step to preserving your vision.