Our Optometrists Will Help You Control Your Glaucoma & Preserve Your Vision

Glaucoma is the Second Highest Cause of Vision Loss in Canada

Glaucoma is the parent name for a number of different eye diseases. The common denominator is that vision is affected by damage to the optic nerve, reducing or otherwise impairing your vision.

Glaucoma diagnosis can be challenging, but modern advances in our field mean that we are better equipped than ever to diagnose and manage the disease. There is no cure for any type of glaucoma, but the disease progression can be slowed in most cases, preserving most of your vision if detected early.

What to Expect from Your Visit

Tests performed

We use various tests during our comprehensive eye exam to determine if you are at risk of developing glaucoma. The number and types of tests done will be determined by our observations and your level of risk.

Tonometry is a technique to measure the pressure in the eye, an important risk factor in over 95% of glaucoma cases.

Corneal thickness is measured using pachymetry to determine additional risk for glaucoma.

Gonioscopy is a technique where we can use a special contact lens to visualize the delicate structures responsible for draining fluid from the anterior chamber of your eye.
Visual Field Testing (Perimetry) allows us to map out the sensitivity of your peripheral vision. Good baseline results aid in early detection of glaucoma and continued testing helps in diagnosis and in monitoring progression of disease.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an additional technology we use in the diagnosis and management of glaucoma. It provides us with high quality images of the optic nerve and retina, and therefore evaluate glaucoma development.

Exam frequency and treatment

We schedule visits at least twice a year for our stable glaucoma patients, just to track the disease and ensure that your treatments are successful in keeping further vision loss at bay.

Eye drops, oral medications and surgery can all be used in treating glaucoma. Although there isn’t a cure, treatment usually slows progression and prevents vision loss. We work closely with the best glaucoma specialists and surgeons to help our glaucoma patients to adapt and live full, functional lives with their disease.

Risk factors

There is not much anyone can do to ‘prevent’ glaucoma, but some risk factors have been identified which link to glaucoma development. These can include:

Age.
Hyperopia.
Diabetes.
Your genetics and family history.
Higher eye pressure.
Ethnicity.

So What is Glaucoma and What Types Are There?

Glaucoma explained

Though every form of glaucoma is different, the common theme is that it carries out an attack on your optic nerve. Since the optic nerve acts as a conduit between the light that enters your eyes, and your brain, any damage dealt to your optic nerve consequently affects your ability to see.

Most common types

Glaucoma is usually associated with high intraocular pressure in the eye, and this is evident in most of its forms including open-angle glaucoma, by far the most common variety.

Open-angle glaucoma, AKA chronic glaucoma, accounts for more than 90% of all glaucoma cases and is caused by a failure of your eye to effectively drain fluid. This drainage problem causes a marked increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) and affects the cornea and the iris, as well as your retina. Initially this will only affect peripheral vision and may go unnoticed; if untreated, the central vision can also be attacked.
Normal tension glaucoma is an unusual case where the intraocular pressure is within the normal range, but symptoms present just like they do with chronic glaucoma. This can lead to vision loss which goes completely unnoticed by the patient, but which can be found through testing with our state-of-the-art equipment.
Acute Glaucoma is a little different, as it can present with sudden, painful symptoms. Severe headache and eye pain, vomiting, blurred vision and even sudden loss of sight are symptoms of acute glaucoma. If you exhibit any one of these symptoms, it is critical that you visit us immediately for diagnosis and treatment, if required.
Pediatric glaucoma is very rare and is when a child is born without properly developed drainage canals in their eyes. This can lead to blindness and may require surgical treatment to correct. If any of the following symptoms are present with your child, contact us immediately:
- Clouded eyes
- Sensitivity to light
- Excessive tears

We’re Here to Help Control Your Case of Glaucoma

Most people respond favourably to glaucoma management therapies, with their individual cases of glaucoma stabilizing shortly after therapy begins. While not all will respond favourably to management, most will.

Therapy generally begins with eye drops designed to control your intraocular pressure (which has been strongly linked with glaucoma’s development). Other therapies and surgeries are available to assist, though most people will not require more invasive therapies.