overview of glaucoma
Glaucoma is when the optic nerve gets damaged and worsens your vision over time. The cause of glaucoma is an abnormally high pressure in your eyes.
Glaucoma can occur at any age, but are more common to older adults. Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over 60 years old.
Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs. The effect is so gradual that you may not notice a change in vision until the condition is at an advanced stage.
Because vision loss due to glaucoma can't be recovered, it's important to have regular eye exams that include measurements of your eye pressure so a diagnosis can be made in its early stages and treated appropriately. If glaucoma is recognized early, vision loss can be slowed or prevented. If you have the condition, you'll generally need treatment for the rest of your life.
Glaucoma can occur at any age, but are more common to older adults. Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over 60 years old.
Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs. The effect is so gradual that you may not notice a change in vision until the condition is at an advanced stage.
Because vision loss due to glaucoma can't be recovered, it's important to have regular eye exams that include measurements of your eye pressure so a diagnosis can be made in its early stages and treated appropriately. If glaucoma is recognized early, vision loss can be slowed or prevented. If you have the condition, you'll generally need treatment for the rest of your life.
our diagnosis
Our Good Doctors will perform will review your medical history and conduct comprehensive eye examinations to determine if you show signs of glaucoma.
These tests include:
These tests include:
- Tonometry, which is a test that checks the pressure inside your eyes.
- Testing for optic nerve damage with a dilated eye examination and imaging tests
- Visual field test for checking for areas of vision loss
- Pachymetry, which is measuring the corneal thickness
- Gonioscopy, which is inspecting the drainage angle
treatment
The damage caused by glaucoma is irreversable. But treatment and regular checkups can help slow or prevent vision loss, especially if you catch the disease in its early stages.
Glaucoma is treated by lowering your eye pressure (intraocular pressure). Depending on your situation, your options may include prescription eyedrops, or oral medications. If laser treatment and/or surgery is required, we can refer you to an ophthalmologist who can perform these treatments.
Glaucoma treatment often starts with prescription eyedrops. These can help decrease eye pressure by improving how fluid drains from your eye or by decreasing the amount of fluid your eye makes. Depending on how low your eye pressure needs to be, more than one of the eyedrops below may need to be prescribed.
Glaucoma is treated by lowering your eye pressure (intraocular pressure). Depending on your situation, your options may include prescription eyedrops, or oral medications. If laser treatment and/or surgery is required, we can refer you to an ophthalmologist who can perform these treatments.
Glaucoma treatment often starts with prescription eyedrops. These can help decrease eye pressure by improving how fluid drains from your eye or by decreasing the amount of fluid your eye makes. Depending on how low your eye pressure needs to be, more than one of the eyedrops below may need to be prescribed.