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Glaucoma Doctors at Clarkson Eyecare
Find Glaucoma Care Near You
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. It is a group of eye conditions that is commonly referred to as “the silent thief of sight” because the symptoms develop slowly and often go unnoticed. Many patients suffering from glaucoma lose up to 40% of their vision before realizing there is a problem.
Routine eye exams allow the team at Clarkson Eyecare to detect eye disease and conditions before vision loss or impairment occurs. Although glaucoma cannot be prevented, it can be controlled. Our doctors specialize in glaucoma care and will help you maintain your best vision possible.
Protect your gift of sight and schedule an appointment with one of our glaucoma specialists today.
Schedule A Glaucoma Exam at Clarkson Eyecare Today
Over 40? It is recommended to have a glaucoma exam every 3-4 years. Higher risk populations, especially those with a family history should be examined for glaucoma more regularly. Clarkson Eyecare has experienced eye doctors practicing in Ohio, Illinois, Texas, Missouri, Michigan, Texas, Florida, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia and New Jersey specializing in Glaucoma care. Schedule a Glaucoma exam at your nearest Clarkson Eyecare.
What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma most often affects people over 40 years old. It occurs when your eye cannot maintain a balance between the amount of intraocular fluid produced and drained. Intraocular fluid maintains the shape of your eye and flows between the iris and the lens.
When there is an imbalance, the pressure in your eye increases. Too much pressure causes damage to the optic nerve, the part of the eye that is responsible for sending the images you see to the brain, causing changes to your vision.
What Is the Most Common Cause of Glaucoma?
While less common, glaucoma can also be caused by blunt or chemical eye injuries, a severe infection, blocked blood vessels, and inflammatory conditions. Glaucoma can be hereditary and passed on from parents to children.
Types of Glaucoma
Glaucoma develops in the eye when there is a decrease in blood flow to the optic nerve or increased pressure to the individual nerve fibers. There are two main types of the disease. Open Angle Chronic Glaucoma occurs when fluid fails to flow out of the eye as it should. Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma, generally linked to patients who are farsighted or have cataracts, occurs when the drainage space between the iris and cornea is too narrow, causing a build up of pressure. Other forms of glaucoma include:
Congenital Glaucoma
This type of glaucoma occurs when the drainage canals are undeveloped. Congenital glaucoma occurs in babies during the prenatal period and, while rare, is often hereditary.
Normal Tension Glaucoma
This type of glaucoma occurs when optic nerves are damaged in the absence of high eye pressure.
Secondary Glaucoma
Secondary glaucoma is caused by eye injury, inflammation, certain drugs, and advanced cases of cataracts or diabetes.
Risk Factors For Glaucoma
While age is the most common cause of glaucoma, it can affect anyone, including infants, children, and young adults.
Risk factors include:
African American, Irish, Russian, Japanese, Hispanic, Inuit, or Scandinavian descent
Over 40
A family history of glaucoma
Nearsighted or farsighted
Poor or blurred vision
Diabetes
Steroid medications such as prednisone
Medications for bladder control or seizures, or some over-the-counter cold remedies
Previous eye injuries
Thin corneas
High blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, or sickle cell anemia
High eye pressure
How to Prevent Glaucoma
Glaucoma cannot be cured so it is important for your eye doctor to diagnose glaucoma as soon as possible to prevent vision loss and preserve your sight.
Routine eye exams are the best way for you and your family to fight against it. At Clarkson Eyecare, we treat patients of all ages across the United States and work together to ensure your eyes are as healthy as possible.
How is Glaucoma Detected?
A regular eye exam is the best way to detect glaucoma. Clarkson Eyecare’s glaucoma doctors will use a combination of tests to determine your diagnosis.
Tonometry exams measure eye pressure, while gonioscopy exams inspect drainage angles. An ophthalmoscopy examines your optic nerve, and perimetry testing tests the visual field of each eye. Not all of these tests may be necessary for every person, but they can be used together to diagnose or rule out glaucoma.
Understanding Your Glaucoma Treatment Options
If you are diagnosed with glaucoma or suspect you have glaucoma, the team at Clarkson Eyecare can help identify the right treatment option for you.
Ultimately, your glaucoma treatment depends on the type and severity of the diagnosis. It also depends on what stage glaucoma is detected in. Glaucoma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled. Treatment options for glaucoma include:
Medications & Eye Drops
Your Clarkson Eyecare glaucoma doctor may prescribe medications or eye drops to lower eye pressure and prevent optic nerve damage in patients with glaucoma.
Laser Surgeries
Glaucoma laser surgeries help to lower the intraocular pressure in the eye. The type of laser surgery, the type of glaucoma, age, race, and many other factors.
Operative Surgeries
If glaucoma eye drops and medicines or laser treatment haven’t helped to treat your glaucoma, your doctor may recommend surgery. Trabeculectomy, glaucoma implant surgery, and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) are a few different types of surgery for glaucoma that can help lower the pressure in your eye.
Frequently Asked Questions About Glaucoma
While glaucoma is rare in children, it can occur and is often hereditary. Glaucoma in children happens during the prenatal period and their drainage canals do not fully develop. Most children with glaucoma are diagnosed before they turn 6 months old.
If you feel your child’s vision is impaired, trust the team at Clarkson Eyecare to deliver the personalized care your loved one needs and deserves.
Glaucoma can lead to blindness if left untreated. Of about 2.3 million cases of glaucoma, 12 percent have resulted in vision impairment and approximately 120,000 have resulted in complete loss of sight.
Routine eye exams are essential to eye health because they allow your doctor to monitor your vision, detect eye conditions like glaucoma, and provide treatment to manage the progression of the disease.
There are no known ways to prevent glaucoma, however, blindness or significant vision loss can be prevented with early-stage recognition of glaucoma. Primary angle glaucoma, the most common form of glaucoma is highlighted by silent, slow and progressive vision loss.
If you are at risk for glaucoma, you should see an ophthalmologist at Clarkson Eyecare for regular exams. This can catch the disease in its early stages and allow for it to be treated.
At Clarkson Eyecare, we recommend routine, comprehensive eye exams for the whole family to ensure you are experiencing the best vision possible at every stage of life.
Your eye doctor may recommend yearly exams if you’re over 40 years of age or have any of the traits that put you at a higher risk for glaucoma.
Glaucoma causes a gradual loss of peripheral vision. The most common symptoms reported by patients with early and moderate stage glaucoma is needing more light, blurry vision, and seeing a glare. Those with glaucoma may initially notice having a harder time with tasks that require visual attention, such as reading and driving.
This varies based on the type and degree of glaucoma you have. You may need to visit your eye doctor every three months or every year. Visits can occur more regularly if your eye doctor is concerned.
The best way to test for glaucoma is through a comprehensive eye exam with an ophthalmologist. These tests include evaluation of your angle and your optic nerve with dilation if appropriate. A visual field test and optic nerve photograph or analysis may be performed.
Schedule a Glaucoma Exam at Clarkson Eyecare Today
Early detection of glaucoma is key because symptoms often go unnoticed and once vision loss occurs, it cannot be restored. If you are at risk for glaucoma, you should see your eye doctor more regularly. Schedule an appointment with Clarkson Eyecare today.