Detecting & Managing Glaucoma for Our Patients

An eye exam from Eyes on Main focuses not only on setting your vision straight but also on the health of your eyes. We recommend annual exams for children, adults and seniors, and patients with diabetes to keep ahead of any eye diseases.

Glaucoma catches many patients off-guard because of its gradual effects. In the year 2010, 1.9% of Americans 40 and over were affected by the most common type of glaucoma.

Glaucoma is often associated with elevated eye pressure. But sometimes glaucoma can still occur when the eye’s pressure is normal. While there’s no known cure for glaucoma yet, eye doctors work quickly to save your sight in the event of a diagnosis.

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Types of Glaucoma

There are several subtypes of glaucoma. While the effects of gradual vision loss are mostly similar, the root causes vary.

Open-Angle Glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma accounts for 90% of glaucoma cases. The drainage canals’ meshwork responsible for letting the fluid in your eye’s main chamber, the aqueous chamber, can develop blockages resulting in elevated intraocular pressure (IOP).

The drainage canals remain open, meaning the pressure build-up is relatively slow. However, this pressure can cause tissue separation affecting the optic nerve. Early detection, medication, and possible surgical intervention is the key to preserving your sight.

Angle-Closure Glaucoma

With angle-closure glaucoma, the drainage canals are not only blocking meshwork, but they’re unnaturally blocked by a closed angle between the iris and cornea. Pressure builds quickly, resulting in a medical emergency.

If suggested by your eye doctor, timely surgical intervention is essential to preventing vision loss. Please contact us immediately if you experience the following symptoms:

Severe headache
Eye pain
Nausea and vomiting
Blurred vision
Halos around lights
Eye redness

Normal-Tension Glaucoma

Normal-tension glaucoma is quite rare, and the underlying causes aren’t entirely understood. Patients with normal-tension glaucoma have normal IOP but still experience optic nerve damage consistent with other types of glaucoma.

Managing Glaucoma

A comprehensive eye exam is the only way to diagnose glaucoma. Keep up with your annual eye exams, and we’ll refer you to our most trusted ophthalmologists for surgery if we detect signs of glaucoma.

Let’s keep your eyes healthy and your vision complete by booking your appointment today!

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