Glaucoma Treatment: Options, Causes, and What Actually Works

When you hear glaucoma treatment, a set of medical approaches aimed at lowering eye pressure to prevent irreversible vision loss. Also known as eye pressure management, it's not just about drops—it's about stopping damage before you even notice it. Glaucoma doesn't shout. It sneaks in. By the time you see blurriness or blind spots, the optic nerve damage, permanent injury to the nerve that sends visual signals to the brain. Also known as retinal nerve degeneration, it is often already done. That’s why treatment starts long before symptoms show—usually when eye pressure climbs too high.

High intraocular pressure, the fluid pressure inside the eye that, when too high, crushes the optic nerve. Also known as eye pressure, it is the biggest red flag. But not everyone with high pressure gets glaucoma, and some with normal pressure still do. That’s where eye inflammation, swelling inside the eye that can block fluid drainage and spike pressure. Also known as uveitis, it comes in. If you’ve had uveitis or other eye infections, your risk goes up. Treatment isn’t just about lowering pressure—it’s about removing the blockages, calming inflammation, and protecting the nerve from further harm.

There’s no magic pill. Glaucoma treatment means choosing between drops, lasers, or surgery based on your pressure levels, age, and how fast the damage is moving. Some people respond well to prostaglandin drops. Others need a laser procedure to open drainage channels. A few need surgery to create a new exit route for fluid. What works for one person might do nothing for another. That’s why tracking your pressure over time matters more than any single test.

You won’t find one treatment that fixes everything. But you will find real, proven paths to slow or stop vision loss—if you catch it early. Below, you’ll see real comparisons of medications, how inflammation triggers pressure spikes, and what alternatives doctors actually recommend when standard drops fail. No fluff. Just what helps, what doesn’t, and why.