Glaucoma affects more than 4 million Americans. It occurs when a duct gets blocked, preventing fluid in the eye from draining or if the eye produces too much fluid. The result is that the pressure within the eye rises, damaging the optic nerve. With the most common form, open-angle glaucoma, there are virtually no symptoms before vision loss occurs.
Do you have a family history of glaucoma?
High eye pressure often does not hurt unless you get acute angle closure glaucoma. Usually in primary open-angle glaucoma you usually can’t see or feel the pressure in your eye. In fact early on, glaucoma has almost no symptoms – you may have glaucoma and not know it. In fact, 40% of your optic nerve can be damaged before you notice vision loss.
Anyone can develop glaucoma, but the risk becomes greater as you age. Risk factors include having a strong family history of glaucoma, being of africian american decent, extreme nearsightedness, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
There are several tests that can be used to diagnose glaucoma. In addition to a visual acuity test, we complete a full eye exam, visual field test, and take a retinal photo to inspect the optic nerve. In order to measure the intra-ocular pressure im the eye we use the gold standard Goldmann Tonometer with anesthetic or we use a device called a tonometer, a handheld instrument, to measure the pressure in your eye. We first place a numbing eye drop in your eye. We then use the tonometer to lightly touch your cornea to measure your intraocular pressure (IOP). The test is quick, easy and pain-free.
The good news is that glaucoma can be treated if it is caught in a timely manner. We stress the importance of yearly eye exams for every patient and sooner if they are a glaucoma suspect. If your optic nerve is larger than normal or the pressure in your eye is higher than normal it may be suggested to lower the pressure in the eye to keep it under control. This will help reduce the potential for the disease to progress and cause more damage to your peripheral vision. The first line of treatment is in the form of prescription eye drops such as Lumigan, Travatan, Xalatan and ( other prostaglandins) which are the most common form of treatment patients receive. Other treatments include a peripheral laser iridotomy or other types of surgical options done by a glaucoma specialist.
