Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness, and since you may not experience symptoms, it’s extremely important to have regular screenings for this serious eye disease. At Atlantic Eye Consultants, with offices in Melbourne, Merritt Island, Titusville, Rockledge, and Palm Bay, Florida, the optometrists specialize in diagnostic screening for glaucoma. With early detection, you can prevent blindness. Call to schedule an exam, or use the online booking tool today.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that lead to vision loss and eventually blindness from damage to your optic nerve. The optic nerve is in the back of your eye, and when you have increased eye pressure for a long period of time, the nerve sustains damage, so you can’t see as well, or at all. Elevated eye pressure leads to fluid backup in your eye, which over time, can damage the optic nerve. 

The two main types of glaucoma are open-angle glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma. 

Open-angle glaucoma

This is the most common type of glaucoma. If you have open-angle glaucoma, the drainage network in your eye becomes clogged. You continue to produce inner-eye fluid, which becomes backed up in your eyeball. 

Closed-angle glaucoma

With this type of glaucoma, the drainage angle in your eye is too narrow, so eye fluid doesn’t drain properly. Closed-angle glaucoma can be dangerous if it suddenly stops draining fluid altogether. This can lead to a critical rise in eye pressure that requires immediate treatment to preserve your vision. 

What are the common symptoms of glaucoma?

Early on, there are no symptoms of glaucoma, which is why regular eye exams with glaucoma screenings are so important. The latest screening technology can determine if you’re at risk and recognize the early warning signs of the disease. 

As glaucoma progresses, you may experience a decrease in your peripheral vision, although you typically won’t feel any pain or discomfort from the increased eye pressure. You may not even realize you’re experiencing vision loss until it becomes significant. Vision loss from glaucoma cannot be reversed either. 

Who is at risk for glaucoma?

Anyone can develop glaucoma at any age, but you are at a higher risk of this eye disease if you:

• Are over 60 years old
• Have a family history of glaucoma
• You are African American or Hispanic and over 40 years old

Glaucoma can happen in one or both eyes and the sooner you start treatment, the better chance you have of preventing permanent vision loss. 

What treatments are available for glaucoma?

The goal of glaucoma treatment is to slow the progression of vision loss. Prescription eye drops are a common way to lower eye pressure and help prevent optic nerve damage. Laser treatment can also lower the pressure in your eye and drain the fluid from your eye. 

If eye drops and laser treatment don’t help, surgery can drain the fluid from your eye, too. 

Schedule your eye exam and glaucoma screening today, especially if it’s been a while since your last exam. Call the team at Atlantic Eye Consultants, or book online anytime.