What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. It has no symptoms in its early stages, but can gradually rob you of your sight.
As light enters your eye through your cornea, it projects an image onto the retina at the back of your eye. The optic nerve transmits this image to your brain.
When your optic nerve is damaged, it leads to vision loss. Glaucoma refers to a group of diseases that increase the pressure inside your eye (intraocular pressure), damaging your optic nerve. Glaucoma affects an estimated 3 million men and women in the United States and can result in blindness.
What are the symptoms of glaucoma?
Open-angle glaucoma, the most common type of glaucoma, doesn’t usually cause symptoms in the early stages. Over time, though, it causes patchy blind spots in your center or peripheral vision. As the disease gets worse, you can experience tunnel vision.
Acute-angle glaucoma causes a sudden onset of these symptoms:
- Intense eye pain
- Eye redness
- Blurred vision
- Nausea
Acute-angle glaucoma requires immediate medical attention. If you suddenly experience these symptoms, seek urgent or emergency medical care.
What causes glaucoma?
Glaucoma tends to run in families. Additional factors that increase your risk of developing glaucoma include:
- Being 60 or older
- Having diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure
- Being extremely near- or farsighted
- Suffering eye injuries
- Using corticosteroid medications
If your ethnic heritage is African, Asian, or Hispanic, you’re at increased risk of developing the condition.
How is glaucoma diagnosed?
Dr. Weissman uses cutting-edge diagnostic technology like optical coherence tomography (OCT), which uses light waves to create pictures of your retina; pachymetry, which measures intraocular pressure beneath your cornea; and visual field testing, to detect blind spots in your vision.
Because glaucoma doesn’t usually affect your vision in its early stages, Dr. Weissman includes a glaucoma screening during your annual eye exam.
How is glaucoma treated?
Dr. Weissman has extensive experience treating glaucoma. After diagnosing glaucoma, he can provide same-day treatment if needed. Treatments include:
- Eye drops
- Oral medications
- Laser therapy
- Minimally invasive procedures
- Eye surgery
To schedule a routine eye exam that includes a glaucoma screening, or if you think you already have glaucoma, call the office of Scott S. Weissman, MD, or book an appointment online today.
