Are you suffering from glaucoma? Patients with glaucoma know the seriousness of the disease and how it can lead to visual field loss, blindness, and even death. However, there are approaches to prevent or delay these consequences and live a full life despite glaucoma.

What are the symptoms of Glaucoma?

Unfortunately, glaucoma doesn’t present symptoms right away, and most individuals do not realize they have the condition until they experience vision loss. Therefore, having regular eye exams, especially as you age, is extremely important in preventing blindness due to glaucoma.

Your doctor can determine if your IOP or intraocular pressure is out of balance. This is one of the only symptoms present to indicate glaucoma.

There are several types of the condition, but “open-angle” glaucoma is the most common. The good news is that Durysta can help treat it.

What is Durysta and how can it help glaucoma?

Durysta is inserted into your eye by your doctor. A medication called “bimatoprost” is then released into your eyes to lower your IOP levels. Durysta works to slowly release the medication over a few months. This is an effective method and a great alternative for eye drops which might be hard to take at the same time each day.

As Durysta is not able to reverse damage due to glaucoma, it works best for patients who have high IOP but who do not have glaucoma yet. However, if the patient already has glaucoma and damage to their optic nerve, Durysta can still help by preventing further damage.

To see if Durysta is right for you, make an appointment with your eye doctor. Remember that this method of treating glaucoma is only for patients with open-angle glaucoma or individuals who have high IOP pressure. Here are some reasons why you may still not be a candidate:

• If you have an eye infection
• If you’ve ever had a corneal transplant
• If you have an allergy to the ingredients in Durysta
• If you have narrow or obstructed iridocorneal angles

If Durysta is not the best glaucoma treatment for you, be sure to talk to your eye doctor about other options.

Bottom Line
You can take steps to protect your vision and keep your quality of life high. If you’re diagnosed with glaucoma, work closely with your doctor to create a treatment plan that works for you. Stay active and involved in your community, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.