Services
Glaucoma
Glaucoma Definition
Looking after your eyes through regular eye exams is an important step in catching eye conditions as early as possible. This is particularly important when dealing with glaucoma, one of the main causes of blindness and vision loss in the world.
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma describes a group of eye conditions that cause irreversible damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve connects the eye to the brain meaning that any damage to the nerve results in damage to sight. The condition is caused by fluid build-up which results in increased pressure inside the eye. The two main types of glaucoma are primary open-angle glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma. If not diagnosed and promptly treated, glaucoma can lead to vision loss and even blindness.
Who is most at risk of developing glaucoma?
Certain people are more at risk of developing glaucoma, such as those who:
- have a family history of glaucoma
- are over 60
- have diabetes
- have suffered a serious eye injury
- using certain medications like steroids
- are severely nearsighted
- experience hypertension
We encourage those in the above groups to have a glaucoma screening appointment every 6 months, depending on the severity of any conditions.
Symptoms of Glaucoma
In the early stages of glaucoma, symptoms may be mild or non-existent. This makes regular eye exams and advanced retinal scans extremely important for early detection and management. Once the disease has progressed, symptoms may gradually occur, including:
- intense eye pain
- blurred vision
- red eyes
- headaches
- eye tenderness
- vomiting and nausea
- seeing rings around lights
Available Glaucoma Treatment Options
Your glaucoma screening appointment will take around 1 hour. These screenings are performed on anybody with a family history of glaucoma or with risk factors such as high intraocular pressure.
During the process, we use an OCT and Visual Field machine. Patients will have their eyes numbed, and pressure is taken via Goldman tonometry. Patients will then have corneal pachymetry performed if risk factors are necessary.
These assessments are all safe, non-invasive, and fast. Your eye doctor will analyze and explain your results right away. These results will be stored in your record for future comparison to later scans.
Contact us
Please get in touch with us to learn more about glaucoma management or to book your advanced eye exam.