Because the vision loss that is associated with glaucoma is irreversible,
early diagnosis and
treatment for glaucoma is essential. This is one of many important reasons to have your eyes
checked regularly by an ophthalmologist. There are several tests and examinations
that can be done to help diagnose glaucoma; once a diagnosis has been
made, treatment can begin to reduce the risk of more damage to the optic nerve.
Diagnosis: Your eye care provider can check for glaucoma as part of a routine exam,
and if glaucoma is suspected for any reason, further testing can be done
to confirm the diagnosis.
Tonometry:After applying numbing eye drops, a special instrument is used to painlessly
measure eye pressure. High eye pressure can indicate glaucoma. Ideal eye
pressure varies from person to person.
Examine the optic nerve:Using an ophthalmoscope, an eye doctor can look beyond the pupil to the
back of the eye to see any visible damage to the optic nerve.
Visual Field Test:If glaucoma is suspected, a visual field test can be used to evaluate peripheral vision.
Pachymetry:Measuring the thickness of the cornea can also help determine whether eye
pressure is considered too high for an individual. If corneas are thick,
then a higher eye pressure reading might not necessarily mean glaucoma;
at the same time, if corneas are thin, glaucoma might still be present
even though the eye pressure was not above the normal range.
Treatment: Treatment for glaucoma always includes methods for lowering eye pressure.
The effectiveness of each treatment varies from one person to the next.
Medications:Eye drops are often used to help lower eye pressure. Various kinds of drops
work in different ways. Some drops help by slowing the production of aqueous
humor, while others help by improving flow through the drainage angle.
Surgery:Sometimes surgery is necessary if medications don’t work. Laser trabeculoplasy
is sometimes used to improve drainage, either by stimulating the drain
to function more effectively or by increasing the drainage sites.
If you have been diagnosed with glaucoma, it is important that you follow
your treatment plan to help prevent further vision loss.
Key-Whitman Eye Center, a leader in LASIK and Cataract surgery in Dallas, Fort Worth, and North
Texas, treats glaucoma and can answer any questions you might have about
diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
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