Diseases & Conditions
An eye on glaucoma drugs
Two recent drugs have opened new treatment opportunities for this common eye disease.
Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in people over age 60, and it's estimated that the number of new cases will more than double over the next few decades. "There is no cure for glaucoma once it appears, so treating it at its earliest stages can help save your vision," says Dr. David Solá-Del Valle, an ophthalmologist with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear.
Once diagnosed, glaucoma is treated with eye drops to reduce pressure inside the eye by lowering the amount of fluid or improving fluid drainage. They can keep glaucoma from getting worse and hopefully avoid the need for surgery to correct this drainage problem.
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