Glaucoma Treatment

Protect your vision with personalized glaucoma care testing, eye drops, laser treatment, and advanced surgical options.

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What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is an eye condition (actually a group of related conditions) where the optic nerve is gradually damaged. For many patients, this damage is related to increased intraocular pressure (IOP), also called “eye pressure.” Over time, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss, often starting with your side (peripheral) vision. The challenge is that many people have no early warning signs, so they may not notice glaucoma symptoms until the condition is more advanced.

If you’re looking for glaucoma treatment across Arizona, our team provides comprehensive glaucoma testing and a full range of treatment options.

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Glaucoma vision simulation showing tunnel vision with clear central view and dark, blurred peripheral edges as a person walks along a tree-lined path.

Glaucoma Symptoms and What Vision Loss Can Look Like

Glaucoma symptoms depend on the type of glaucoma. Many people with open-angle glaucoma (the most common type in the United States) have no symptoms in the early stages. Over time, glaucoma may cause vision changes that appear as patchy blind spots in peripheral (side) vision. In later stages, it can also affect central vision.

Angle-closure glaucoma (also called narrow-angle glaucoma, closed-angle glaucoma, or acute angle-closure glaucoma) is different. It can happen suddenly and is a medical emergency. Go to an emergency room or contact an eye doctor immediately if you suddenly develop intense eye pain, nausea or vomiting, a red eye, blurry vision, or halos/colored rings around lights.

Glaucoma Testing: Evaluating Eye Pressure and Optic Nerve Health

A glaucoma evaluation is more than a single eye pressure reading. A complete workup includes measuring intraocular pressure (tonometry), checking the optic nerve during a dilated eye exam (often paired with imaging), and checking for areas of vision loss with a visual field test. Our patients at Southwestern Eye Center also benefit from measuring corneal thickness (pachymetry).

To understand which type of glaucoma you may have, your doctor may inspect the drainage angle using gonioscopy. (You may see “gonioscopy” listed on your after-visit summary; it helps guide the safest treatment plan.)

Glaucoma Treatment Options at Southwestern Eye Center

Senior man with his dog enjoying the park after his Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery treatment at Southwestern Eye Center.

iDose TR

iDose is placed inside the eye during a quick, minimally invasive procedure.

iDose TR > Learn More
Alcon Voyager DSLT device used for dry eye and glaucoma treatment, featuring touchscreen interface in a clinical setting.

DSLT

Direct Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (DSLT) is a non-invasive glaucoma treatment that delivers laser energy through the surface of the eye.

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Nurse performing a comprehenive eye exam to clear up the misconceptions about glaucoma at Southwestern Eye Center.

SLT

Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) helps the eye drain fluid more efficiently at the angle where the iris and cornea meet—lowering eye pressure.

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Hydrus and iStent microstents used in the Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) offered at Southwestern Eye Center.

MIGS

MIGS lowers eye pressure with less intensive postoperative care and lower risk than traditional surgery for many patients.

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Advanced Surgery

For more complex or severe glaucoma, an eye surgeon may recommend surgery such as trabeculectomy (a filtering surgery) or a drainage implant (tube shunt) to lower eye pressure.

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Image of a patient that uses glaucoma drops daily to prevent elevated intraocular pressure.

Eye Drops for Glaucoma

Glaucoma treatment often starts with prescription eye drops. Some drops reduce eye pressure by helping fluid drain better; others reduce how much fluid the eye makes.

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Stop Permanent Vision Loss

If you’ve been diagnosed with glaucoma or you’re concerned about your vision, schedule a comprehensive glaucoma evaluation. With the right glaucoma treatment plan, many patients preserve vision and reduce the risk of permanent loss.

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Glaucoma: Common Questions and Answers

People often search “how I cured my glaucoma,” but current medical references are clear: there is no cure yet. The goal is to protect your vision by lowering eye pressure and monitoring the optic nerve over time. Early treatment can often stop or slow damage.

Eye pressure readings and eye pain are not the same thing. Open-angle glaucoma often has no early symptoms, and it’s common not to “feel” high eye pressure. However, sudden severe eye pain can be a sign of acute angle-closure glaucoma, which needs urgent care. 

Signs of glaucoma may not be noticeable early. Over time, glaucoma may cause peripheral vision loss and blind spots. The most reliable “sign” is what we find on a comprehensive eye exam and visual field testing, not what you can see in your open eye in the mirror.

If symptoms come on suddenly—severe eye pain, red eye, headache, nausea/vomiting, or blurred vision—seek urgent evaluation (ER or urgent ophthalmic care), because angle-closure glaucoma can progress quickly without treatment. Otherwise, schedule a comprehensive glaucoma exam so we can measure your intraocular pressure and evaluate optic nerve health.

We provide glaucoma care across Arizona, including the Phoenix metro area, Tucson, Mesa, and surrounding communities. Regular monitoring is essential because glaucoma is a long-term condition, and treatment may need to be adjusted over time.

SLT trabeculoplasty; laser iridotomy/iridectomy; Hydrus/iStent; Durysta; Kahook; OMNI System; Ahmed; iDose; iTrack; P-50 Express; VIA360; and iStent Infinite. (Specific availability and candidacy can vary by location, eye anatomy, and stage of disease.)