The list of treatments mentioned in various sources for Congenital glaucoma includes the following list. Always seek professional medical advice about any treatment or change in treatment plans.
Products, offers and promotion categories available for Congenital glaucoma:
Research all specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.
Research quality ratings and patient incidents/safety measures for hospitals and medical facilities in specialties related to Congenital glaucoma:
Hospital & Clinic quality ratings » »
Choosing the Best Treatment Hospital: More general information, not necessarily in relation to Congenital glaucoma, on hospital and medical facility performance and surgical care quality:
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the treatments of Congenital glaucoma.
For chronic open-angle glaucoma, treatment initially decreases IOP through the use of an alpha antagonist, brimonidine tartrate (Alphagan), and then beta blockers, such as timolol (contraindicated for asthmatics or patients with bradycardia) or betaxolol (Betoptic) to reduce aqueous humor production. A topical anhydrase inhibitor is used in preference to a systemic anhydrase inhibitor such as acetazolamide. A tubo-plast or tube shunt or valve may also be used. Miotic eyedrops such as pilocarpine facilitate the outflow of aqueous humor.
Patients who are unresponsive to drug therapy may be candidates for argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) or a surgical filtering procedure called trabeculectomy, which creates an opening for aqueous outflow. In ALT, an argon laser beam is focused on the trabecular meshwork of an open angle. This produces a thermal burn that changes the surface of the meshwork and increases the outflow of aqueous humor. In trabeculectomy, a flap of sclera is dissected free to expose the trabecular meshwork. Then this discrete tissue block is removed and a peripheral iridectomy is performed. This produces an opening for aqueous outflow under the conjunctiva, creating a filtering bleb. In chronic refractory glaucoma, a tubo-plast or tube shunt or valve is used to keep IOP within normal limits.
Acute angle-closure glaucoma is an ocular emergency requiring immediate treatment to lower the high IOP. Preoperative drug therapy lowers IOP with I.V. acetazolamide, pilocarpine (constricts the pupil, forcing the iris away from the trabeculae, allowing fluid to escape), timolol, and a topical steroid to quiet the inflammatory response, along with I.V. mannitol (20%) or oral glycerin (50%) to force fluid from the eye by making the blood hypertonic. Latanoprost is a topical medication that helps drain the aqueous outflow from the eye and lower the IOP. Oral medication or topical drops may be prescribed separately or in combination. Severe pain may necessitate administration of opioid analgesics. If pressure doesn’t decrease with drug therapy, laser iridotomy or surgical peripheral iridectomy must be performed promptly to save the patient’s vision. Iridectomy relieves pressure by excising part of the iris to reestablish aqueous humor outflow. A prophylactic iridectomy is performed a few days later on the other eye to prevent an acute episode of glaucoma in the normal eye.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Drug therapy is the treatment of choice for chronic open-angle glaucoma. If this fails, argon laser trabeculoplasty or trabeculectomy is performed. Acute angle-closure glaucoma is treated with drugs, laser iridotomy, or surgical peripheral iridectomy.
For chronic open-angle glaucoma, treatment initially decreases aqueous humor production through beta-adrenergic blockers, such as timolol (contraindicated for patients with asthma or those with bradycardia) and betaxolol (a beta1-receptor antagonist); alpha agonists, such as brimonidine, to lower IOP; and topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitors such as dorzolamide.
Drug treatment also includes miotic eyedrops, such as pilocarpine, to facilitate the outflow of aqueous humor. Patients who are unresponsive to drug therapy may be candidates for iridectomy, a surgical filtering procedure that creates an opening for aqueous outflow.
Clinical tip The end stage of glaucoma may require a tube shunt or valve to keep IOP down.
In argon laser trabeculoplasty, an argon laser beam is focused on the trabecular meshwork of an open angle. This produces a thermal burn that changes the surface of the meshwork and increases the outflow of aqueous humor.
In trabeculectomy, a flap of sclera is dissected free to expose the trabecular meshwork. This discrete tissue block is then removed, and a peripheral iridectomy is performed. This procedure produces an opening for aqueous outflow under the conjunctiva, creating a filtering bleb.
Acute angle-closure glaucoma is an ocular emergency that requires immediate treatment to lower the high IOP. If the pressure doesn’t decrease with drug therapy, laser iridotomy or surgical peripheral iridectomy must be performed promptly to save the patient’s vision.
Iridectomy relieves pressure by excising part of the iris to reestablish aqueous humor outflow. A prophylactic iridectomy is performed a few days later on the patient’s other eye to prevent an acute episode of glaucoma in that eye.
Preoperative drug therapy lowers IOP with I.V. mannitol and steroid drops to quell the inflammation. Acetazolamide is used as well as pilocarpine (which constricts the pupil, forcing the iris away from the trabeculae and allowing fluid to escape) and I.V. mannitol (20%) or oral glycerin (50%) to force fluid from the eye by making the blood hypertonic. Timolol is used to decrease IOP. Severe pain may necessitate narcotic analgesics.
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
What do you think about the features of this website? Take our user survey and have your say:
Next articles:
Tools & Services:
Medical Articles:
Search Specialists by State and City
By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use. Information provided on this site is for informational purposes only; it is not intended as a substitute for advice from your own medical team. The information on this site is not to be used for diagnosing or treating any health concerns you may have - please contact your physician or health care professional for all your medical needs. Please see our Terms of Use.
Copyright © 2009 Health Grades Inc. All rights reserved.
When you reach a certain age, it's usually clear that your vision isn't as sharp as it used to be. Learn how surgery for the cloudy lens of a...
Whenever you go to a hospital or clinic for a major procedure or diagnostic test, one of the many forms you are given to sign is an "informed...
Germs are a fact of life and catching an infectious disease like a cold may seem inevitable. But there are simple ways to protect yourself against...
Sleep is necessary to feel refreshed, but now we know sleep actually impacts the way the body functions. Sleeping poorly can affect how often you get...