Medications
The goal of treating glaucoma is to prevent blindness. There is no way to reverse or repair glaucoma damage to the optic nerve once it has developed. Because of this, it is very important to prevent even slow damage that could accumulate over time. The only effective way to prevent glaucoma damage is by lowering the eye pressure. The eye pressure can be lowered by medications, laser, or surgery. When medications are chosen, it is very important to use the eye drops correctly.
 Medication Chart
Please read through the following information to help you review some important guidelines for using glaucoma medications. Once you start a glaucoma eye drop, in most cases it will be used for the rest of your life.
1) Always use your drops as directed on the day of your appointment. The reason you are coming to see the doctor is to check if the medications are lowering the eye pressure to a safe level. If you do not take the eye drops on the day of your appointment, the doctor cannot assess the effectiveness of your drops. If you forget your eye drops, you may want to call and reschedule your appointment to another day when the drops have been used appropriately.
2) Try to space your eye drops evenly throughout the day. A twice daily drop should be given every 12 hours, and a three times daily drop should be given approximately every 8 hours.
3) Always wait at least 5 minutes between drops given at the same time of day. If another drop is put in immediately after the first drop, most of the medication will overflow out of the eye and down your cheek.
4) Close your eyes gently for 2-3 minutes immediately after putting in the medication. This will help the medication get into the eye and prevent side-effects.
5) If you are having difficulty knowing if the drop made it into your eye, keep the drops in the refrigerator. This way the drops will feel cold, and you can tell when the drop gets into your eye.
6) Please plan ahead and get refills taken care of during office hours. Phone calls on weekends and evenings take time away from the doctor’s family.
7) Bring your medication bottles with you to every appointment. This way the doctor can confirm that you have the right medicine, and that you are taking it correctly.
8) Never stop your medications without consulting with the doctor. The eye pressure could increase to a high level, which could cause more glaucoma damage. If you are having side-effects or eye irritation and need to stop a drop, please contact the doctor and find out exactly what to do. Try to pay close attention to how much medication is left in your bottle so that you can get a refill when before the bottle is gone. If you run out of the medication, get a refill that day so you do not miss any days of treatment. |
