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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.