Glaucoma

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a disease that affects your optic nerves. Your optic nerves carry visual information to your brain from your retina, the light-sensing tissue at the back of your eyes. Your brain interprets this information to form images, allowing you to see.

The underlying cause of glaucoma is increased pressure on your optic nerve. Your eyes contain a fluid called aqueous humor, which serves a number of functions, including maintaining a healthy level of pressure in your eyes. When this fluid can’t drain freely, it builds up in the front part of your eye, which can damage your optic nerve over time.

What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

Glaucoma is known as the “silent thief of sight” because it develops gradually and doesn’t present early symptoms or warning signs.

The disease only causes noticeable symptoms after it’s already caused permanent, irreversible vision damage. It usually shows up in both eyes at once and damages your peripheral (side) vision first.

To catch glaucoma in its early stages and prevent vision loss, it’s important to get regular eye exams at Ramirez & Poulos, MD, PA. Your doctor can detect abnormally high eye pressure, the key risk factor for glaucoma.

Who is at risk of developing glaucoma?

You’re more likely to develop glaucoma if you have:

• Diabetes, a heart disease, or high blood pressure
• Poor vision, especially if you’re very nearsighted
• A past injury or surgery in one or both eyes
• A family history of glaucoma

If you don’t have any of these risk factors, you should be screened for glaucoma every four years starting at age 40. You should be screened every two years beginning at age 65, or sooner if you have elevated risk factors.

How is glaucoma treated?

Your doctor at Ramirez & Poulos, MD, PA, can slow the progression of early-stage glaucoma. Treatment can reduce the pressure in your eyes and preserve your vision. It can’t restore vision you’ve already lost, which is why it’s important to be screened regularly for glaucoma.

The first-line treatment of glaucoma is usually medication, including eye drops and oral medication. Medication can reduce fluid production in your eye or help the fluid in your eye drain more easily.

If medication alone doesn’t control the pressure in your eye, the next step would be surgery. Glaucoma surgery uses minimally invasive techniques, including laser treatment and small incisions. Depending on the severity of your glaucoma and your overall eye health, your doctor can either fix the drainage channel in your eye or create a new channel.

Though glaucoma isn’t curable, it’s controllable, especially with early detection. To schedule an eye exam, call the office of Ramirez & Poulos, MD, PA.