Studies in the 1970s reported that the use of cannabis may lower intraocular pressure. In an effort to determine whether marijuana, or drugs derived from it, might be effective as a glaucoma treatment, the US National Eye Institute supported research studies from 1978 to 1984. These studies demonstrated some derivatives of marijuana lowered intraocular pressure when administered orally, intravenously, or by smoking, but not when topically applied to the eye.

In 2003, the American Academy of Ophthalmology released a position statement stating that cannabis was not more effective than prescription medications. Furthermore, no scientific evidence has been found that demonstrates increased benefits and/or diminished risks of cannabis use to treat glaucoma compared with the wide variety of pharmaceutical agents now available.

In 2012 the American Glaucoma Society published a position paper discrediting the use of cannabis as a legitimate treatment for elevated intraocular pressure, for reasons including short duration of action and side effects that limit many activities of daily living.

The modern goals of glaucoma management are to avoid glaucomatous damage and nerve damage, and preserve visual field and total quality of life for patients, with minimal side effects. This requires appropriate diagnostic techniques and follow-up examinations, and judicious selection of treatments for the individual patient. Although intraocular pressure is only one of the major risk factors for glaucoma, lowering it via various pharmaceuticals and/or surgical techniques is currently the mainstay of glaucoma treatment.

Vascular flow and neurodegenerative theories of glaucomatous optic neuropathy have prompted studies on various neuroprotective therapeutic strategies, including nutritional compounds, some of which may be regarded by clinicians as safe for use now, while others are on trial.

Vitamin A supplementation plays an important role, specifically vitamin A deficiency is a top causes of preventable childhood blindness. Though in measles cases, the administration of the vitamin to offset visual impairment has not been proven effective, as of yet.

is a program launched by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and is supported by the WHO in 1999 that has made controlling blindness in children a high priority.

Some suggest that more time spent outdoors during childhood is effective for prevention.

Various methods have been employed in an attempt to decrease the progression of myopia, although studies show mixed results. Many myopia treatment studies have a number of design drawbacks: small numbers, lack of adequate control group, and failure to mask examiners from knowledge of treatments used.

Ocular hypertension is treated with either medications or laser. Medications that lower intraocular pressure work by decreasing aqueous humor production and/or increasing aqueous humor outflow. Laser trabeculoplasty works by increasing outflow. The cannabinoids found in cannabis sativa and indica (marijuana) have been shown to reduce intraocular pressure, by up to 50% for approximately four to five hours. But due to the duration of effect, significant side-effect profile, and lack of research proving efficacy, the American Glaucoma Society issued a position statement in 2009 regarding the use of marijuana as a treatment for glaucoma.

The preferred treatment of congenital glaucoma is surgical not medical. The initial procedures of choice are goniotomy or trabeculotomy if the cornea is clear, and trabeculectomy ab externo if the cornea is hazy. The success rates are similar for both procedures in patients with clear corneas. Trabeculectomy and shunt procedures should be reserved for those cases in which goniotomy or trabeculotomy has failed. Cyclophotocoagulation is necessary in some intractable cases but should be avoided whenever possible because of its potential adverse

effects on the lens and the retina.

Untreated glaucoma leads to total blindness. Surgical treatment is required. Presently-utilized surgical procedures include goniotomy, trabeculotomy, or trabeculectomy.

The use of reading glasses when doing close work may provide success by reducing or eliminating the need to accommodate. Altering the use of eyeglasses between full-time, part-time, and not at all does not appear to alter myopia progression. The American Optometric Association's Clinical Practice Guidelines for Myopia refers to numerous studies which indicated the effectiveness of bifocal lenses and recommends it as the method for "Myopia Control". In some studies, bifocal and progressive lenses have not shown significant differences in altering the progression of myopia.

If the proper actions are not taken to expand the orbit, many physical deformities can appear. It is important that if these deformities do appear, that surgery is not done until at least the first two years of life. Many people get eye surgery, such as upper eyelid ptosis surgery and lower eyelid tightening. These surgeries can restore the function of the surrounding structures like the eyelid in order to create the best appearance possible. This is more common with people who have degenerative anophthalmia.

Because SO is so rarely encountered following eye injury, even when the injured eye is retained, the first choice of treatment may not be enucleation or evisceration, especially if there is a chance that the injured eye may regain some function. Additionally, with current advanced surgical techniques, many eyes once considered nonviable now have a fair prognosis.

However, only if the injured eye has completely lost its vision and has no potential for any visual recovery, prevention of SO is done by enucleation of the injured eye preferably within the first 2 weeks of injury. Evisceration—the removal of the contents of the globe while leaving the sclera and extraocular muscles intact—is easier to perform, offers long-term orbital stability, and is more aesthetically pleasing, i.e., a greater measure of movement of the prosthesis and thus a more natural appearance. There is concern, however, that evisceration may lead to a higher incidence of SO compared to enucleation. Several retrospective studies involving over 3000 eviscerations, however, have failed to identify a single case of SO.

Once SO is developed, Immunosuppressive therapy is the mainstay of treatment. When initiated promptly following injury, it is effective in controlling the inflammation and improving the prognosis. Mild cases may be treated with local application of corticosteroids and pupillary dilators. More severe or progressive cases require high-dose systemic corticosteroids for months to years. Patients who become resistant to corticosteroids or develop side effects of long-term corticosteroid therapy (osteoporosis and pathologic fractures, mental status changes, etc.), may be candidates for therapy with chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide, or ciclosporin.

While PEX itself is untreatable as of 2011, it is possible for doctors to minimize the damage to vision and to the optic nerves by the same medical techniques used to prevent glaucoma.

- Eyedrops. This is usually the first treatment method. Eyedrops can help reduce intraocular pressure within the eye. The medications within the eyedrops can include beta blockers (such as levobunolol or timolol) which slow the production of the aqueous humor. And other medications can increase its outflow, such as prostaglandin analogues (e.g. latanoprost). And these medicines can be used in various combinations. In most cases of glaucoma, eyedrops alone will suffice to solve the problem.

- Laser surgery. A further treatment is a type of laser therapy known as trabeculoplasty in which a high-energy laser beam is pointed at the trabecular meshwork to cause it to "remodel and open" and improve the outflows of the aqueous humor. These can be done as an outpatient procedure and take less than twenty minutes. One report suggests this procedure is usually effective.

- Eye surgery. Surgery is the treatment method of last resort if the other methods have not worked. It is usually effective at preventing glaucoma. Eye surgery on PEX patients can be subject to medical complications if the fibers which hold the lens have become weakened because of a buildup from the flakes; if the lens-holding fibers have weakened, then the lens may become loose, and complications from eye surgery may result. In such cases, it is recommended that surgeons act quickly to repair the phacodonesis before the lenses have dropped. A surgeon cuts an opening in the white portion of the eye known as the sclera, and removes a tiny area of the trabecular meshwork which enables the aqueous humor to discharge. This lowers the internal pressure within the eye and lessens the chance of future damage to the optic nerve. Cases with pseudophacodonesis and dislocated IOL have been increasing in number, according to one report. In cataract surgery, complications resulting from PEX include capsular rupture and vitreous loss.

- Drug therapy. There are speculations that if genetics plays a role in PEX, and if the specific genes involved can be identified, that possibly drugs can be developed to counteract these mutations or their effects. But such drugs have not been developed as of 2011.

Patients should continue to have regular eye examinations so that physicians can monitor pressure levels and check whether medicines are working.

The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of visual loss is either preventable or curable with treatment. This includes cataracts, onchocerciasis, trachoma, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, uncorrected refractive errors, and some cases of childhood blindness. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that half of blindness in the United States is preventable.

The pressure within the eye is maintained by the balance between the fluid that enters the eye through the ciliary body and the fluid that exits the eye through the trabecular meshwork.

Pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) is an affliction of the eye that can lead to a form of glaucoma known as pigmentary glaucoma. It takes place when pigment cells slough off from the back of the iris and float around in the aqueous humor. Over time, these pigment cells can accumulate in the anterior chamber in such a way that it can begin to clog the trabecular meshwork (the major site of aqueous humour drainage), which can in turn prevent the aqueous humour from draining and therefore increases the pressure inside the eye. With PDS, the intraocular pressure tends to spike at times and then can return to normal. Exercise has been shown to contribute to spikes in pressure as well. When the pressure is great enough to cause damage to the optic nerve, this is called pigmentary glaucoma. As with all types of glaucoma, when damage happens to the optic nerve fibers, the vision loss that occurs is irreversible and painless.

This condition is rare, but occurs most often in Caucasians, particularly men, and the age of onset is relatively low: mid 20s to 40s. As the crystalline lens hardens with age, the lens zonules pull away from the iris and the syndrome lessens and stops. Most sufferers are nearsighted.

There is no cure yet, but pigmentary glaucoma can be managed with eye drops or treated with simple surgeries. One of the surgeries is the YAG laser procedure in which a laser is used to break up the pigment clogs, and reduce pressure. If caught early and treated, chances of glaucoma are greatly reduced. Sufferers are often advised not to engage in high-impact sports such as long-distance running or martial arts, as strong impacts can cause more pigment cells to slough off.

A 2016 Cochrane Review sought to determine the effectiveness of YAG laser iridotomy versus no laser iridotomy for pigment dispersion syndrome and pigmentary glaucoma, in 195 participants, across five studies. No clear benefits in preventing loss of visual field were found for eyes treated with peripheral laser iridotomy. There was weak evidence suggesting that laser iridotomy could be more effective in lowering intraocular pressure in eyes versus no treatment.

Currently, there is not a treatment option for regaining vision by developing a new eye. There are, however, cosmetic options so the absence of the eye is not as noticeable. Typically, the child will need to go to a prosthetic specialist to have conformers fitted into the eye. Conformers are made of clear plastic and are fitted into the socket to promote socket growth and expansion. As the child's face grows and develops, the conformer will need to be changed. An expander may also be needed in anophthalmia to expand the socket that is present. The conformer is changed every few weeks the first two years of life. After that, a painted prosthetic eye can be fitted for the child's socket. The prosthetic eye can be cleaned with mild baby soap and water. Rubbing alcohol should be avoided because it may damage the prosthetic eye. Children need to be checked regularly to ensure the fit and size is appropriate.

Sympathetic ophthalmia is rare, affecting 0.2% to 0.5% of non-surgical eye wounds, and less than 0.01% of surgical penetrating eye wounds. There are no gender or racial differences in incidence of SO.

If caught early, the neovascularization can be reversed with prompt pan retinal photocoagulation (PRP), or injection of anti-VEGF medications with subsequent PRP. The injection blocks the direct effect of VEGF and acts more quickly but will wear off in about 6 weeks. PRP has a slower onset of action but can last permanently. Once the neovascularization has been longstanding, the new vessels recruit fibrous tissue, and as this forms and contracts, the angle can be permanently damaged, and will not respond to treatment. If this occurs, then surgical intervention is required to reduce the pressure (such as a glaucoma drainage implant)

In the early stages, there are a few treatment options. Laser surgery or cryotherapy (freezing) can be used to destroy the abnormal blood vessels, thus halting progression of the disease. However, if the leaking blood vessels are clustered around the optic nerve, this treatment is not recommended as accidental damage to the nerve itself can result in permanent blindness. Although Coats' disease tends to progress to visual loss, it may stop progressing on its own, either temporarily or permanently. Cases have been documented in which the condition even reverses itself. However, once total retinal detachment occurs, sight loss is permanent in most cases. Removal of the eye (enucleation) is an option if pain or further complications arise.

A 2008 study tested the effect of using gene therapy to help restore the sight of patients with a rare form of inherited blindness, known as Leber's congenital amaurosis or LCA. Leber's Congenital Amaurosis damages the light receptors in the retina and usually begins affecting sight in early childhood, with worsening vision until complete blindness around the age of 30.

The study used a common cold virus to deliver a normal version of the gene called RPE65 directly into the eyes of affected patients. Remarkably, all 3 patients, aged 19, 22 and 25, responded well to the treatment and reported improved vision following the procedure. Due to the age of the patients and the degenerative nature of LCA, the improvement of vision in gene therapy patients is encouraging for researchers. It is hoped that gene therapy may be even more effective in younger LCA patients who have experienced limited vision loss, as well as in other blind or partially blind individuals.

Two experimental treatments for retinal problems include a cybernetic replacement and transplant of fetal retinal cells.

Colobomas of the iris may be treated in a number of ways. A simple cosmetic solution is a specialized cosmetic contact lens with an artificial pupil aperture. Surgical repair of the iris defect is also possible. Surgeons can close the defect by stitching in some cases. More recently artificial iris prosthetic devices such as the Human Optics artificial iris have been used successfully by specialist surgeons. This device cannot be used if the natural lens is in place and is not suitable for children. Suture repair is a better option where the lens is still present.

Vision can be improved with glasses, contact lenses or even laser eye surgery but may be limited if the retina is affected or there is amblyopia.

In the United States, the incidence of primary congenital glaucoma is about one in 10,000 live births. Worldwide, the incidence ranges from a low of 1:22,000 in Northern Ireland to a high of 1:2,500 in Saudi Arabia and 1:1,250 in Romania. In about two-thirds of cases, it is bilateral. The distribution between males and females varies with geography. In North America and Europe it is more common in boys, whereas in Japan it is more common in girls.

- Congenital glaucoma

- Incidence: one in every 10000-15000 live births.

- Bilateral in up to 80% of cases.

- Most cases are sporadic (90%). However, in the remaining 10% there appears to be a strong familial component.

Scientists are studying different populations and relationships to try to learn more about the disease. They have found associations with different groups but it is not yet clear what the underlying factors are and how they affect different peoples around the world.

- Glaucoma patients. While PEX and glaucoma are believed to be related, there are cases of persons with PEX without glaucoma, and persons with glaucoma without PEX. Generally, a person with PEX is considered as having a risk of developing glaucoma, and vice versa. One study suggested that the PEX was present in 12% of glaucoma patients. Another found that PEX was present in 6% of an "open-angle glaucoma" group. Pseudoexfoliation syndrome is considered to be the most common of identifiable causes of glaucoma. If PEX is diagnosed without glaucoma, there is a high risk of a patient subsequently developing glaucoma.

- Country and region. Prevalence of PEX varies by geography. In Europe, differing levels of PEX were found; 5% in England, 6% in Norway, 4% in Germany, 1% in Greece, and 6% in France. One contrary report suggested that levels of PEX were higher among Greek people. One study of a county in Minnesota found that the prevalence of PEX was 25.9 cases per 100,000 people. It is reportedly high in northern European countries such as Norway, Sweden and Finland, as well as among the Sami people of northern Europe, and high among Arabic populations, but relatively rare among African Americans and Eskimos. In southern Africa, prevalence was found to be 19% of patients in a glaucoma clinic attending to persons of the Bantu tribes.

- Race. It varies considerably according to race.

- Gender. It affects women more than men. One report was that women were three times more likely than men to develop PEX.

- Age. Older persons are more likely to develop PEX. And persons younger than 50 are highly unlikely to have PEX. A study in Norway found that the prevalence of PEX of persons aged 50–59 was 0.4% while it was 7.9% for persons aged 80–89 years. If a person is going to develop PEX, the average age in which this will happen is between 69 and 75 years, according to the Norwegian study. A second corroborating report suggested that it happens primarily to people 70 and older. While older people are more likely to develop PEX, it is not seen as a "normal" part of aging.

- Other diseases. Sometimes PEX is associated with the development of medical problems other than merely glaucoma. There are conflicting reports about whether PEX is associated with problems of the heart or brain; one study suggested no correlations while other studies found statistical links with Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia, cerebral atrophy, chronic cerebral ischemia, stroke, transient ischemic attacks, heart disease, and hearing loss.

Mydriatic/cycloplegic agents, such as topical homatropine, which is similar in action to atropine, are useful in breaking and preventing the formation of posterior synechia by keeping the iris dilated and away from the crystalline lens. Dilation of the pupil in an eye with the synechia can cause the pupil to take an irregular, non-circular shape (Dyscoria) as shown in the photograph. If the pupil can be fully dilated during the treatment of iritis, the prognosis for recovery from synechia is good. This is a treatable status.

To subdue the inflammation, use topical corticosteroids. If the intra-ocular pressure is elevated then use a PGA such as Travatan Z.

Without treatment, NTG leads to progressive visual field loss and in the last consequence to blindness. The mainstay of conventional glaucoma therapy, reducing IOP by pressure-lowering eye drops or by surgery, is applied in cases of NTG as well. The rationale: the lower the IOP, the less the risk of ganglion cell loss and thus in the long run of visual function. The appearance of disc hemorrhages is always a warning sign that therapeutic approaches are not successful - the small bleedings, usually described as flame-shaped, almost always indicate a progression of the disease.

Besides this classical glaucoma therapy, the vascular component that exists in the majority of NTG patients has to be managed as well. Dips in blood pressure or a generally low blood pressure have to be prevented - which is a rather uncommon approach in modern medicine where high blood pressure is always seen as an immense clinical challenge, affecting large segments of the population. In patients with systemic hypertension under therapy, the blood pressure should not be lowered too rigorously. NTG might be the only severe (= sight-threatening) disease caused in numerous cases by a too low blood pressure. Both magnesium and low dose calcium channel blockers have been employed in the treatment of some NTG patients. There are therapeutic approaches to underlying conditions like Flammer syndrome. A change in nutrition like the intake of sodium-rich foods has been tried as has the oral administration of low-dosed steroids. Lifestyle interventions are recommended in patients with Flammer syndrome like avoidance of fasting and certain stimuli like a cold environment and stress.