Glaucoma Specialist

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma includes a group of eye conditions that damage your optic nerve. This nerve damage causes abnormally high eye pressure and vision loss when left untreated. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in patients over 60. Because many types of glaucoma don’t cause any symptoms, routine eye exams and glaucoma screenings are important.

What are the different types of glaucoma?

The two kinds of glaucoma are open-angle and angle-closure glaucoma, also called closed-angle glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma is a common form in which fluid in your eyes doesn’t drain properly because of a blockage. With angle-closure glaucoma, you experience a sudden buildup of pressure and poor drainage because of a narrowing between your cornea and iris.

What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

Common symptoms associated with glaucoma depend on the type of glaucoma you have and its severity. Examples include:

• Patchy blind spots
• Tunnel vision
• Eye pain
• Severe headaches
• Blurry vision
• Vomiting and nausea
• Eye redness
• Halos around lights
• Blindness in severe cases
  
  

At the first sign of glaucoma, see the Long Island Ophthalmic Concepts team for an eye evaluation.

What are the risk factors for glaucoma?

While glaucoma can happen to anybody, some things increase your risk of experiencing it. Examples include:

• Being over 60
• High internal eye pressure
• Family history of glaucoma
• Diabetes, heart disease, or other chronic conditions
• Thin corneas
• Nearsightedness or farsightedness
• Eye injuries
• Some types of eye surgeries
  
  

Ways to lower your risk of glaucoma and its complications include undergoing annual dilated eye exams, exercising regularly, protecting your eyes from trauma, and using prescription eye drops to reduce high eye pressure.

How does my provider diagnose glaucoma?

To find out if you have glaucoma, your eye doctor reviews your symptoms and medical history. They complete a dilated eye exam, vision testing, and optic nerve analyses.

Your ophthalmologist uses tonometry, which involves using a puff of air aimed directly into the eye from a distance of less than an inch to measure the pressure inside your eyes. Additional tests help them measure the thickness of your corneas.

What are my glaucoma treatment choices?

Long Island Ophthalmic Concepts has state-of-the-art technology that allows eye experts to detect glaucoma in its early stage and properly manage the disease. They offer the most advanced treatments to ensure exceptional results.

While there’s no cure for glaucoma, common treatments that can reduce symptoms and minimize your risk of vision loss include:

• Healthy lifestyle habits
• Nutritional supplements
• Eye drops
• Oral medications
• Laser surgery
• Microsurgery
  
  

If medications and laser treatments haven’t worked, your eye doctor will recommend that you undergo surgery to restore your eye health and prevent blindness. They personalize each glaucoma treatment to give you the best surgical results.

If you’re at risk of developing glaucoma or you experience vision or eye-health problems, call the Long Island Ophthalmic Concepts office nearest you today. You can also book an appointment online.