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The Surgery Center of South BayThe Surgery Center of South Bay

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Glaucoma Medications

Medications, including eye drops and pills, are often prescribed as part of a glaucoma treatment plan. For glaucoma medication to be completely effective it must be taken exactly as directed by your doctor.

Eye Drops

Your doctor may prescribe eye drops as an initial treatment for glaucoma. Since small amounts of eye drops are absorbed into the bloodstream, your doctor will consider all your current medications before deciding what prescription is right for you.

There are many types of eye drops that help to lower intraocular pressure (IOP) and they work in a variety of ways. For example, prostaglandin analogs open a new passage to allow the aqueous humor (fluid) to exit the eye. Beta blockers lower IOP by decreasing the overall production of aqueous humor. Other eye drops decrease the production of intraocular fluid or increase drainage.

Pills

If eye drops do not sufficiently lower IOP, your doctor may prescribe pills to help decrease fluid flow in the eyes. Pills are usually taken 2 to 4 times each day. Oral medications can have more systemic side effects and may interact with other prescription drugs. It is important to write down all medications you are currently taking so your eye doctor can evaluate whether pills will be an effective part of your glaucoma treatment plan. Glaucoma pills are part of the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor family of drugs and should be taken with meals or with milk to reduce side effects. Eating bananas or drinking apple juice is helpful in minimizing potassium loss. Pills are often reserved for severe glaucoma or patients that are not good candidates for surgery as they often have severe side effects.

What to Expect

Often patients require more than one medication to control IOP. Your doctor may prescribe a combination drop (more than one type of eye drop mixed together), multiple eye drops, or a combination of eye drops and pills.

ACL Repair Adhesiolysis Advanced Laparoscopic and Hysteroscopic Surgery Ahmed Glaucoma Valve Arthrodesis Arthroplasty Baerveldt Implant - Glaucoma Drainage Devices Blepharoplasty/Eyelid Revision Procedures Bunion/Hammer Toe Correction Cataract Surgery Cataract Surgery with ORA Colposcopy Corneal Transplants DSAEK Disc Decompression Dupuytren's Surgery Endometrial Ablation Endometrial/Uterine Biopsy Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release Epidural Steroid Injection Ex-Press Mini Glaucoma Shunt Eyelid Surgery for Aging Eyes Facet Joint Injections Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Ganglion Mass Excision General Anesthesia Glaucoma Medications Glaucoma Surgery Hysterectomy IOLs Intercostal Nerve Blocks Intrathecal Pumps – Trial and Implant Intrauterine Device (IUDs) Joint Arthroscopy: Knee, Shoulder and Ankle Joint Injections Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy - Gallbladder Procedure Laser Trabeculoplasty Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) Lumbar Discectomy Lumbar Laminectomy MILD Procedure Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC) Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF) Orthopedic Procedures Pain Stimulator Insertion (Spinal Cord Stimulation) Pediatric Anesthesia Peripheral Nerve Blocks Plantar Fasciotomy Pterygium Surgery Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) Refractive Surgery Repair of Fractures, Tendons, Nerves Revision Sinus Surgery Revision of Fingertip Amputation Rotator Cuff Repair Sacral Nerve Stimulation Sacroiliac Joint Injection Scleral Buckling Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) Selective Nerve Blocks (SNRB) Sinuplasty Skin Flap Skin Graft Spinal Cord Stimulation Trial Spine Procedures Tenosynovectomy Trabeculectomy Ultrasound Vitrectomy YAG Laser Procedure iStent Glaucoma Surgery With Cataract Surgery
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Surgery Center of South Bay
23500 Madison Street,
Torrance, CA 90505

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