Glaucoma - Diagnosis and Treatment
Glaucoma is a very complicated and potentially devastating eye disease.
Here is some important information for you to know about glaucoma:
- There is no "THE" glaucoma test.
Many people mistakenly believe a pressure test (such as the air puff) is all they
need. This is incorrect. There are a whole battery of tests which must be
run in order to diagnose glaucoma. A partial list is retinal photos, corneal thickness,
digital optic disk imaging, gonioscopy, and a dilated retina exam.
- You will have symptoms if you develop glaucoma.
Glaucoma is often called the "sneak thief of sight". Experts estimate around 50%
of individuals with this disease are not aware of it. The ONLY way for you to
determine if you have glaucoma is a comprehensive eye examination and
supplementary testing by an eye doctor. A simple eye exam will not do this.
- Your family history and ethnicity are important in the diagnosis.
It is a statistical fact that individuals descended from someone with glaucoma have
an increased chance of developing glaucoma. African-Americans and Hispanics
have a greater risk than Anglos. However, none of these risk factors are diagnostic
on their own.
- There are many types of glaucoma.
You could say it is really "the glaucomas". While most patients are diagnosed with
Primary Open Angle Glaucoma, there are forms of the disease caused by certain
medicines, in infants, and by angle closure, to name a few.
- Treatment is usually with eye drops, but surgery can also be used.
Glaucoma typically involves a lifetime of treatment. This usually involves eye drops,
but there are several surgical procedures which can be used when appropriate.
At Moody Eyes we are committed to taking care of this very important disease. We have the instrumentation, the knowledge, and the commitment to diagnose and treat glaucoma. We will refer you in you need surgery or specialized treatment.