All these symptoms in a child indicate the need to see an eye care specialist immediately. In most patients, glaucomatous damage to optic nerve fibers results in a gradual loss of peripheral vision. This is detected with a visual field test, usually performed on an automated computerized visual filed analyzer that can accurately map out the peripheral vision and compare it to age-based norms and to previous visual field tests performed on the same patient. This trend of visual field loss progression over time is very important in the monitoring and management of glaucoma. There are numerous pressure-lowering eyedrops.
Some patients require more than one type of drop.
It is important that the doctor be aware of these conditions. Narrow angle glaucoma is often treated with laser iridotomy. A laser creates a small opening in the peripheral iris. This helps to prevent fluid from building up behind the iris and forcing it forward, which would close off the filtering angle. Variations of this procedure include injection of chemotherapy agents to reduce scarring which could cause bleb failure, insertion of silicone shunts to help keep the drainage channel open.