A NEW TYPE OF GLAUCOMA SURGERY

SLT, approved by the FDA in March 2001, holds great promise for the treatment of glaucoma. SLT is a type of laser surgery that uses a combination of frequencies allowing the laser to work at very low levels. It treats specific cells “selectively” and leaves untreated portions of the trabecular meshwork (the mesh-like drainage canals surrounding the iris) intact. For this reason, it is believed that SLT, unlike other types of laser surgery, may be safely repeated many times. SLT may also be an alternative for those who have been treated successfully with traditional laser surgery or with pressure lowering eye drops.

Currently, SLT has full regulatory release worldwide. It’s been used clinically for over two years in Japan and Europe.

Glaucoma - Cause & Detection

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, especially for older people. But loss of sight from glaucoma is often preventable if you get treatment early enough.

Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve. The optic nerve carries the images we see to the brain. Many people know that glaucoma has something to do with pressure inside the eye. The higher the pressure inside the eye, the greater the chance of damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve is made up of a huge number of nerve fibers, like an electric cable containing a huge number of wires. Glaucoma can damage nerve fibers, causing blind spots to develop. Usually people don't notice these blind areas until much optic nerve damage has already occurred. If the entire nerve is destroyed, blindness results. Early detection and treatment by your ophthamologist are the keys to preventing optic nerve damage and blindness from glaucoma.

Clear liquid called "aqueous humor" is constantly being produced within the eye. If the drainage angle of the eye is blocked, excess fluid cannot flow out of the eye. If the "drainpipe" gets clogged, water collects in the sink and the sink may overflow. Because the eye is a closed structure, the excess fluid cannot overflow if the drain is clogged. If the drainage area of the eye-called the drainage angle-is blocked, the fluid pressure within the inner eye may increase, which can damage the optic nerve.

During a complete and painless examination, your ophthamologist will:

• Measure your intraocular pressure (Tonometry)
• Inspect the drainage angle of your eye (Gonioscopy)
• Evaluate any optic nerve damage (Opthalmoscopy)
• Test the visual field of each eye (Perimetry)

Different types of Glaucoma

Chronic Open-Angle Glaucoma: This is the most common form of glaucoma in the United States. It occurs as a result of aging. The drainage angle of the eye becomes less efficient with time, and pressure within the eye gradually increases.

If this increased pressure results in optic nerve damage, it is known as chronic open-angle glaucoma. Over 90% of adult glaucoma patients have this type of glaucoma. Chronic open-angle glaucoma damages vision so gradually and painlessly that you are not aware of trouble until the optic nerve is already badly damaged.

Angle-Closure Glaucoma: Sometimes the drainage angle of the eye may become completely blocked. Is is as though a sheet of paper floating near a drain suddenly drops over the opening and blocks the flow out of the sink. In the eye, the iris (the part that makes eyes blue or brown) may act like the sheet of paper closing off the drainage angle. When pressure builds up suddenly, it is called acute angle-closure glaucoma.

In some patients glaucoma has features of both the chronic open-angle type and the acute angle closure type. This may be called chronic angle closure glaucoma or mixed mechanism glaucoma. It occurs more frequently in people of African or Asian descent.

Glaucoma risk factors

The most important risk factors are:

• Age
• African ancestry
• A family history of glaucoma
• Past injuries to the eyes

Glaucoma treatments

As a rule, damage caused by glaucoma cannot be reversed. Eye drops, pills and laser and surgical operations are used to prevent or slow further damage from occurring.

With any type of glaucoma, periodic examinations are very important to prevent vision loss. Because glaucoma can worsen without your being aware of it, your treatment may need to be changed over time.

Treatment for glaucoma requires teamwork between you and your doctor. Your ophthamologist can prescribe treatment for glaucoma, but only you can make sure you take your eye drops or pills.

Never stop taking or change your medications without first consulting your ophthamologist. Frequent eye examinations and tests are critical to monitor your eyes for any changes. Remember, it is your vision, and you must do your part to maintain it.