When it comes to glaucoma, prevention is the best medicine. What is glaucoma? Glaucoma is a condition that refers to eye disorders that are associated with a buildup of intraocular eye pressure, or “internal” ocular pressure. This buildup of internal eye pressure is dangerous and can cause damage to the optic nerves, which is the part of our eye that tells our brain what we see.
Why Glaucoma Is Sneaky
You can actually lose quite a bit of your peripheral vision before realizing something serious is happening. Glaucoma can result in blindness if left untreated.
Symptoms Of Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a very difficult condition to diagnose in its early stages, as most patients don’t notice symptoms early on. Early symptoms of glaucoma are often hard to detect. This is why it’s imperative that you see your eye doctor for a yearly comprehensive eye examination. Symptoms can vary, but the two most-widely reported glaucoma symptoms are diminishing peripheral vision and tunnel vision.
You also should schedule an eye exam if you notice any of the following symptoms:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Blurry vision
- Red eyes
- Vision changes
- Eye pain ranging from mild to severe
- Halos due to light
Glaucoma Treatment Options
There are two main types of glaucoma: open-angle and angle-closure. Open-angle glaucoma can’t be cured but steps can be taken to reduce pressure buildup in the eyes to prevent further visual damage.
Glaucoma treatment options include:
- Prescription medications
- Eye drops
- Laser or refractive surgery
- Surgery to implant a draining device in the eye
- A trabeculectomy, which is a surgery where a small amount of eye tissue is removed to allow fluid drainage.
The second main type of glaucoma, referred to as closed-angle glaucoma, requires emergency medical attention and laser eye surgery to prevent a recurrence of pressure buildup in the eye.
How Is Glaucoma Diagnosed?
There are a few ways that your eye care professional at Stahl Eyecare monitors your eyes for any signs of glaucoma. The most obvious way is checking your intraocular eye pressure. Your eye doctor measures intraocular pressure with a tool called a tonometer. One version of the tonometer blows a puff of air into the eye to indirectly measure intraocular eye pressure, while in the other, your eye is numbed with eye drops before your doctor gently rests a probe against the surface of the eye.
A high reading of intraocular pressure indicates that the amount of fluid in the eye is too high. Your eye could be producing too much or the fluid already there is may not be draining properly. Other diagnostic methods and tools include SLAP (scanning laser polarimetry), OCT (optical coherence tomography), and visual field testing to determine if you are developing blind spots.
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the U.S. About 2.5 million Americans are affected by glaucoma. If you suspect that you may have glaucoma, see your eye doctor immediately. Call Stahl Eyecare Experts and schedule an appointment!
