Diagnosing and Treating Glaucoma

There are many diseases that can affect our eyes and vision, including Glaucoma – a condition that affects an estimated three million U.S. adults at any time. Glaucoma is the name of a group of diseases, all of which are characterized by the accumulation of pressure inside the eye. Generally, the pressure develops gradually, meaning it can take a matter of months or years for symptoms to appear. However, occasionally intraocular pressure builds suddenly, causing severe symptoms that are noticeable and will prompt you to seek professional help immediately. This is critical since the rising pressure causes damage to the optic nerve which is responsible for sending messages from the eye to the brain to tell us what we can see.

Glaucoma can be caused by many different things, from taking certain medications for unrelated conditions, having particular medical conditions, or experiencing an underlying eye condition like uveitis. For this reason, it can be helpful for your eye doctor to identify what has caused your glaucoma at the point of diagnosis.

 

What are the Symptoms of Glaucoma?

In around 90% of cases, glaucoma develops extremely slowly, meaning it is often undetected until it is picked up as part of a routine comprehensive eye exam. This can mean that, if you don’t attend your eye exams as recommended, some damage may be done to your vision before you are diagnosed.

In slow-developing glaucoma, known as open-angle glaucoma, symptoms to be aware of include:

 

• Loss of peripheral vision
   

• Blurred vision
   

• Rainbow-colored circles around lights
   

Rapid-developing glaucoma is often known as acute glaucoma. If you are affected, the general symptoms of glaucoma may also be accompanied by:

 

• Intense eye pain
   

• Red eyes
   

• Nausea
   

• Vomiting
   

• Headache/migraine
   

• Blurred vision

If you notice any of the symptoms of glaucoma you should make an appointment with your eye doctor as soon as possible. If you experience the symptoms of acute glaucoma, it should be considered an eye emergency and you should insist on being seen straight away.

 

How is Glaucoma Diagnosed?

There are a variety of tests used to identify and diagnose glaucoma. These include:

Tonometry: a test to measure the pressure within your eye. Eye drops are used to numb the eye before this test, which takes just a few seconds per eye

Ophthalmoscopy: a dilated eye exam that looks at the shape and color of the optic nerve to check for any abnormalities

Perimetry: a visual field test to see if you have lost any peripheral vision. This is critical since peripheral vision is usually one of the first things to be affected by glaucoma

Gonioscopy: a test to establish what type of glaucoma you have. A gonioscopy examines the angle where the iris meets the cornea to see whether it is open and wide (the most common type of glaucoma has this characteristic) or narrow and closed

Pachymetry: a quick, painless test to measure the thickness of your cornea, which is the clear, domed part covering the front of the eye

 

How is Glaucoma Treated?

Regrettably, any vision damage caused by glaucoma is permanent. For this reason, seeking a prompt diagnosis and treatment is absolutely essential. The good news is that there are things that can be done to get your eye pressure under control and prevent any further vision loss.

The first line of treatment is often prescription eyewear. If you have lost some vision due to glaucoma, your eye doctor may prescribe you glasses or contact lenses. These can be used in addition to the following treatments:

Eyedrops: Eyedrops are usually the first line of treatment for the most common type of glaucoma, and there are a few different types that contain medications which can lower and control the amount of pressure within your eye

Oral medications: Oral medications are usually recommended if eyedrops aren’t reducing your intraocular pressure enough or quickly enough. This treatment is also the first option for patients with acute glaucoma, where it is essential to get the pressure under control as quickly as possible

Laser treatment: This is normally recommended for patients with acute angle glaucoma and is combined with oral medication to quickly and effectively reduce eye pressure. Laser treatment is carried out using local anesthetic, and the laser is used to open and widen the drainage channels within the eye to let fluid escape and reduce the pressure

Trabeculectomy: Recommended for severe glaucoma, a trabeculectomy is a surgical procedure to remove blockages within the eye’s natural drainage system so that the pressure can reduce and is an alternative to laser treatment

For further information about diagnosing and treating glaucoma, contact our skilled and experienced eyecare specialists at Alta Loma Optometric in Rancho Cucamonga, California at (909) 787-1760.