Glaucoma

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases in which optic nerve damage causes problems with vision. You have two optic nerves, one at the back of each eye. These nerves transport visual messages from your eyes up to your brain, so disruption of those signals can lead to vision loss.

There are two main forms of glaucoma, including: 

Primary open-angle glaucoma

Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common kind of glaucoma. In most cases, this type of glaucoma occurs with high inner-eye pressure. But, some people with open-angle glaucoma have normal eye pressure. 

Primary open-angle glaucoma rarely causes symptoms in its early stages. In fact, about half of the people with glaucoma don’t know it because they don’t have symptoms. As the condition progresses, peripheral vision narrows, and in the late stages, you may experience significant vision loss. 

Acute angle-closure glaucoma

Acute angle-closure glaucoma, which is far less common than primary open-angle glaucoma, occurs when your eye can’t drain inner-eye fluid properly. This causes a sudden increase in eye pressure and optic nerve damage. Typical symptoms include severe eye pain, headaches, blurry vision, and nausea. 

Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a medical emergency because it can cause rapid vision loss if you don’t respond quickly. 

With glaucoma, early diagnosis is the best way to protect your eye health. Todani Eye Associates regularly screens for glaucoma during eye exams and they also offer expert glaucoma care. 

How is glaucoma diagnosed?

Glaucoma diagnosis generally involves several different tests. The most common tests are tonometry, a simple test to check your eye pressure, a visual field test to evaluate peripheral vision, and pachymetry to check corneal thickness.

Todani Eye Associates also uses advanced diagnostic methods to identify glaucoma in its early form, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), which takes detailed cross-sectional pictures of the structures in the back of your eyes. 

How is glaucoma treated?

While there’s no way to cure glaucoma right now, you can slow progression and minimize its effects on your vision and life. 

Todani Eye Associates offers the latest advanced solutions for glaucoma management, including everything from traditional glaucoma eye drops to the Durysta® implant, an in-eye implant that can control your eye pressure for several months at a time. 

The Durysta implant releases glaucoma medication within your eye at appropriate intervals, giving you freedom from daily eye drops.

Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is an outpatient procedure in which your provider uses laser energy to improve fluid drainage in your eye, thereby lowering eye pressure. 

Surgery is another option for glaucoma. Todani Eye Associates offers the most specialized minimally invasive surgical procedures, including micro-invasive glaucoma surgery with tiny incisions. Micro-invasive glaucoma surgery is typically performed in conjunction with cataract surgery. 

For the newest glaucoma treatment innovations, call Todani Eye Associates or click on the online scheduling tool to book an appointment.