Glaucoma

What is glaucoma?

There are many different types of glaucoma that can result in optic nerve damage. Increased fluid build-up inside the eye (increased intraocular pressure) is an important risk factor for the development of glaucoma. The optic nerve acts as a channel to relay messages to the brain. As the optic nerve deteriorates, you will begin to lose peripheral (side) vision first.

Amazingly, often at least 50% of the optic nerve is damaged before any vision is lost at all. By the time a person notices vision loss, often over 90% of optic nerve damage has occurred. In fact, some people are legally blind before they ever seek medical attention.

Who gets glaucoma?

Anyone can get glaucoma. However, those at higher risk to develop glaucoma are:

Persons over the age of 60
Persons of African American and Latino/Hispanic descent
Relatives of persons with glaucoma
Very nearsighted (myopic) people
Persons with diabetes
Persons with extensive steroid use

Everyone should have a thorough glaucoma exam around the age of 40, then every two to four years afterward. If you are of African or Latino/Hispanic descent, over age 60 or have a family history of glaucoma it is recommended that you have a thorough exam every one to two years after age 35. Patients diagnosed with glaucoma are routinely examined even more frequently.

How is glaucoma diagnosed?

A typical glaucoma screening examination involves the following tests:

Tonometry: measures the pressure within your eye
Gonioscopy: examines the drainage angle of the eye
Perimetry (visual field testing): tests for peripheral and central vision loss
Ophthalmoscopy: magnified eye exam to look for optic nerve damage and other ocular findings that may predispose a patient to developing glaucoma

BoozmanHof offers the latest imaging technology available to patients: Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (Cirrus HD-OCT). This state-of-the-art device allows your doctor to detect glaucoma earlier and helps monitor progression of the glaucoma and glaucoma symptoms.

How is glaucoma treated?

There is no cure for glaucoma, however treatments are available that can slow disease progression:

Eye drops: eye drops are prescribed to help decrease eye pressure. This is the most common method of treatment.
Laser surgery: laser surgery can be performed to raise the flow of fluid in patients with open-angle glaucoma. For patients with angle-closure glaucoma, laser surgery can help remove fluid blockage.
Trabeculectomy: a form of microsurgery where a channel is created to drain fluid, reducing eye pressure.

Glaucoma FAQs

What are common types of glaucoma?

There are two common types of glaucoma. The first is open-angle glaucoma, which is the most common. This form occurs when the eye's drainage system drains slowly, similar to a slow drain. When the fluid cannot drain properly, the pressure in the eyes will increase. The second is a less common type of glaucoma and it is called angle-closure glaucoma. It occurs when the eye's drainage system becomes completely blocked, causing the pressure in the eye to increase rapidly.

Who is at risk for glaucoma?

What are glaucoma symptoms?

In the early stages, open-angle glaucoma shows no symptoms. This is why it has been nicknamed “the silent thief of sight.” As the condition progresses, glaucoma symptoms can include a loss of side vision. Over time, tunnel vision can occur.

The symptoms of angle-closure glaucoma can come on suddenly. They include:

Severe eye pain
Severe headache
Nausea and vomiting
Blurry vision
Seeing halos around lights

How is glaucoma diagnosed?

Glaucoma can be detected during your annual eye exam. During the exam, our optometrists will check the condition of your optic nerve as well as the pressure in your eyes. These tests will diagnose glaucoma. If you are diagnosed with glaucoma, our doctors of optometry will order a visual field test to see if you have lost any side vision. Photos of the optic nerve are also taken so that our eye doctors can track the progression of the disease.

How is glaucoma treated?

There is no cure for glaucoma. There are, however, treatment methods available that can slow the progression of the disease.

Eye drops: Eye drops are often prescribed to keep the pressure in the eyes down. They are the most common treatment method.
Laser surgery: Laser surgery is performed to increase the flow of the fluid in people with open-angle glaucoma. If you have angle-closure glaucoma, laser surgery can stop the fluid blockage.
Trabeculectomy: This is a form of microsurgery where a new channel is created to drain the fluid, which will reduce the pressure in the eyes.

If you do need surgery, our optometry care provides eye surgery co-management, this is to ensure that you are always taken care of, before and after surgery.