Elevated ocular pressure and glaucoma

The following doctors on our team specialise in the treatment of glaucoma:
Dr. Vandekerckhove and Dr. Mai.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a chronic eye condition that is the result of excessively high eye pressure, which damages the optical nerve. Increased eye pressure occurs if the fluid produced in the eye to nourish the cornea and the lens is not able to drain away properly. If the drainage of fluid doesn’t work properly, the pressure in your eye will increase. There is also ‘normal pressure’ glaucoma, which can also reduce your field of vision. That is why it is very important to have a regular check-up with your ophthalmologist and to have your eye pressure measured every few years after the age of 45.

Symptoms of glaucoma

Chronic glaucoma

Your field of vision gradually reduces.
At a more advanced stage, your visual acuity also decreases.
Blind spots will emerge in your field of vision, often without you even realising it.

Acute glaucoma

Your eyes become painful, red and dull.
Your vision becomes blurred.
You get headaches, dizziness and nausea.

Treatment of glaucoma

It is important to have your eye pressure measured regularly by your eye doctor, and to have a check-up of your optical nerve, in order to detect glaucoma early. In the event of symptoms of glaucoma, it is important to take quick action since the damage to the nerve cells cannot be repaired. With the treatment, the emphasis is on lowering the eye pressure. This can be done with a laser treatment, eye drops or, in exceptional cases, an eye operation.

The treatment of glaucoma is aimed at keeping the eye pressure low permanently. Glaucoma is unfortunately incurable and damage that has already been caused cannot be repaired. That is why it is important for glaucoma to be diagnosed early, so that it can be treated appropriately. Regular check-ups are therefore important.

What treatments do we offer?

SLT laser treatment

According to the European glaucoma guidelines, ‘Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty’ or SLT treatment is the first choice to treat glaucoma. With this laser treatment, short pulses are used to widen your tear drainage system, so that the fluid can be drained away better and your eye pressure decreases. This laser treatment is painless and usually has to be repeated after a couple of years.

Eye drops

Patients who can’t tolerate lasers or don’t respond well to the laser treatment are treated with eye drops to keep the eye pressure stable. The eye drops are intended to reduce the aqueous humour or improve drainage of fluid. Depending on the sort of drops your ophthalmologist prescribes, they will need to be administered once or twice a day.

Microstent

With this surgical procedure, carried out under local anaesthesia, a new drainage channel is created in order to reduce the eye pressure. The new drainage channel is made with a tiny tube the size of an eyelash, known as a microstent.

Glaucoma operation (trabeculectomy)

In this procedure, carried out under local anaesthesia with drops, a small opening is made in the white part of the eye, so that fluid can drain away. This will reduce eye pressure considerably.

How much does glaucoma treatment cost?

The cost of this treatment varies and depends on the approach selected and the seriousness of the glaucoma. During the consultation, we will explain the costs of your specific treatment. This treatment is covered by medical insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is glaucoma and how does it develop?

Glaucoma is a chronic, insidious eye condition in which the optic nerve gradually becomes thinner due to excessive pressure in the eye. As we get older, the balance between the production and drainage of aqueous humour can become disrupted, causing eye pressure to rise. In Belgium, around 2% of people over the age of 40 develop glaucoma. Without treatment, glaucoma can ultimately lead to blindness.

What are the symptoms of glaucoma and how do you recognise it?

In the early stages, glaucoma cannot be felt at all: no pressure, no red eye, no perceptible decline in vision. As a result, the condition goes unnoticed for a long time in 50 to 70% of patients. The only way to detect glaucoma in time is to have your eye pressure measured by an ophthalmologist every two years. We can only make a reliable diagnosis based on several examinations combined.

When is your eye pressure too high and what are the symptoms of high eye pressure?

We speak of elevated eye pressure from 21 mmHg, while the normal range lies between 12 and 21 mmHg. The treacherous thing about this condition is that excessive eye pressure usually gives no warning signals. You feel nothing, and meanwhile the condition can continue to progress. Excessive eye pressure is the most important risk factor for glaucoma. Other factors include older age, glaucoma in the family, strong nearsightedness or farsightedness, high blood pressure and sleep apnoea.

How is glaucoma treated and can glaucoma be cured?

Glaucoma cannot be cured, but its progression can be slowed by lowering the eye pressure. At Eyecenter oogartsen our preference is a dSLT laser treatment: a contactless laser that stimulates the drainage of aqueous humour. Only 10% of patients need a repeat treatment after 3 to 5 years. If the laser does not deliver sufficient results, we switch to eye drops or a micro-stent.

Is glaucoma hereditary and how can you prevent it?

Yes, glaucoma has a hereditary component. If it runs in your family, Eyecenter oogartsen recommends an annual check-up from the age of 40. Early detection is essential, because once the optic nerve is damaged, that damage cannot be repaired. The earlier we identify glaucoma, the greater the chance of preventing further damage.