Advice for Patients with Glaucoma

• Follow your ophthalmologist's instructions.
• Use the medicine as often as is advised. If you are bothered by the medication in any way, contact your physician immediately, but continue to use it until you have done so. Your physician will then tell you whether to stop the medicine or continue it. If you do not understand why you need a medication, ask your physician.
• Be certain to use your medications exactly as ordered. Continue to use them at all times even if you are away from home or are ill.
• Wait at least one minute between taking different types of drops. Ask for instructions if you are unsure.
• Make sure the drop goes into the eye. Hold a tissue at the corner of the eye to prevent the drop from running into the nose. If you are unsure of how to do this, please ASK. It is important to be sure the drops get in the eye because it increases the effect of the medicine and decreases their side effects. After taking the drops, keep the eye closed for 30 seconds.
• Do not run out of your medication. Make sure to have it refilled in time. If the pharmacist states it cannot be refilled, call your physician immediately.
• Return for your scheduled re-examination. Most glaucomas are diseases that progress slowly, and the correctness of treatment can only be decided by repeated examinations. If it is impossible for you to keep your appointment, be certain to call your the office so that you can arrange another appointment as soon as possible.
• Consult your ophthalmologist at once if you have blurred vision associated with pain, if you see halos around lights, or if your eyes bother you any other way that concerns you. If you cannot reach your ophthalmologist, go to a hospital that provides emergency medical eye care. The Wills Eye Hospital Emergency Department is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year.
• Know what type of glaucoma you have. Some medication may make glaucoma worse, but this depends on the type of glaucoma. Most patients with open-angle chronic glaucoma can take any type of medicine without concern that it will alter control of the glaucoma. Any patient with glaucoma should notify their physician if they need to take steroids long term.
• Encourage your relatives to have a medical eye examination. Glaucoma tends to affect more than one member of the family. Certain types of glaucoma may be hereditary. This is especially true for primary glaucomas. Therefore, your parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and children should be examined.
• There are no specific lifestyle limitations. If you have glaucoma, it is probably not necessary for you to change your manner of living in any way. Excesses of most types are not conducive to good health.
• Similarly, it is best for those with glaucoma to live an active, vigorous, full, but reasonably balanced, life.
• Exercise is important. Not only is exercise helpful for preservation of general health, it also can lower intraocular pressure. Being overweight can make glaucoma worse.
• Carry a medical emergency card that states what type of glaucoma you have and the medications you need. This would help in the rare chance that you might be involved in an accident or other emergency medical problem which might interrupt your medication or lead the examining physician to misinterpret the size of your pupils.