Although glaucoma is sometimes referred to as a single disease, it is more than one. It is a group of insidious diseases that gradually damage the optic nerve and thus cause vision loss. The early stages often produce no symptoms, so glaucoma is sometimes described as the “sneak thief of sight.”
Types of Glaucoma
There are several different , with primary open-angle glaucoma being the most common. In this condition, blockages in the eye’s drainage canals cause pressure to build up within the eye, and that pressure damages the optic nerve.
Diagnosing Glaucoma
If glaucoma specialists in Jacksonville, FL, suspect patients might have glaucoma, they will perform an exam during which they will check the pressure inside their eyes, the thickness of their corneas, the shape and color of their optic nerves, and the angles of the points where the corneas and irises meet. Since glaucoma patients gradually lose their peripheral vision, doctors will also check their field of vision.
Medicated Eye Drops
Most glaucoma patients are given medicated eye drops that relieve the pressure within their eyes and thus prevent further damage.
Laser Treatment or Surgery
If the eye drops don’t work or the patients can’t tolerate them, they may undergo laser treatment or surgery. Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a common procedure used to widen the eye’s drainage canal. It is a quick procedure, and the patient will need only a local anesthetic. The trabeculectomy, on the other hand, is a surgical procedure in which the doctor creates a new canal through the sclera or white of the eye. Fluid from the inner eye travels through the canal to the upper part of the eye and is then absorbed by the body.
Alternatively, a Glaucoma specialist in Jacksonville, FL, may decide to install a tiny shunt that will carry fluid outside the eye.
