![]() |
![]() |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Glaucoma is a painless disease of the eye in which asymptomatic eye pressure slowly injures the optic nerve and causes painless loss of vision, beginning with the periphery and eventually closing in on central vision.
Because patients cannot feel the pressure in their eyes, glaucoma is sometimes referred to as the “sneak thief of sight”. This is why glaucoma screening is so important. Our goal is to identify our patients with glaucoma as early as possible in the course of their disease and to initiate treatment to control the glaucoma and prevent future vision loss. Treatment usually consists of eye drops, used once or more a day, for the rest of one's life. Though daily drops are well tolerated and relatively easy to use, they do represent a financial and logistical burden for the patient. Therefore, another of our goals is to establish the need for treatment carefully and to avoid treating patients unnecessarily.
For certain patients a simple laser procedure may be offered as alternative to, or in addition to, eye drop therapy. For the rare patients whose eye pressure cannot be controlled with eye drops and laser treatments, various eye surgeries are available.
Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between someone who has early glaucoma
and someone who merely looks suspicious for this problem. Patients at increased
risk of developing glaucoma are considered “glaucoma suspects”. These
include patients with a history of high eye pressure, patients with a family
history of glaucoma, or patients with suspicious looking optic nerves, as noted
by their eye doctor during examination of the inside of the eye. These and
other risk factors for glaucoma are listed below. Patients who are “glaucoma
suspects” are advised to have additional photographs and other tests to
assist in detecting the subtle signs of early glaucoma.
Risk factors for glaucoma:
For more information click here
National Eye Institute: Glaucoma
En Espaņol
National Eye Institute: El Glaucoma