Sometimes treatment of ocular hypertension is necessary. The most important treatment is to reduce the increased intraocular pressure with the help of medication and to prevent damage to the optic nerve. There are medications in the form of eye drops that act locally in the eye. Tablets that act on the entire body are used less frequently.
There are different groups of active ingredients that reduce intraocular pressure in different ways. The most important drugs are
- Beta blockers reduce the production of aqueous humor
- Prostaglandins increase the outflow of aqueous humor
- Alpha agonists act at two points: They reduce the production of aqueous humor and at the same time increase its outflow.
- Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors reduce the production of aqueous humor.
- Cholinergics increase the outflow of aqueous humor.
The medications can also be combined with each other. If you cannot tolerate a medicine, you can switch to another medicine.
It is also possible to use a laser (laser trabeculoplasty) to improve the outflow of aqueous humor. In individual cases, surgery can also be performed to lower the eye pressure. This is particularly recommended if cataract surgery (surgery on the cloudy lens of the eye) is due anyway and can be combined with this.