Experience also indicates that blacks are less compliant in following treatment instructions. It should be noted also that individuals with myopia are more inclined than others to contract glaucoma. In the normal eye, aqueous humor circulates freely through the anterior and posterior chamber. The fluid, produced constantly by the ciliary body, drains through the trabecular meshwork, back into the bloodstream. Glaucoma develops when production of fluid increases, or filtration is no longer adequate.
Pressure rises in the eye, causing damage to the optic nerve.
Three different treatment modalities are prescribed, each depending on how far the disease has progressed. If drops do not ameliorate the condition, laser treatment is applied. Should that approach prove unsuccessful, surgery may be necessary. All three are designed to reduce intraocular pressure. Pilocarpine increases filtration or drainage out of the eye.