Glaucoma Evaluations and Treatments

Glaucoma is an optic nerve disease that usually causes the intraocular pressure inside your eye to rise too high (although you can have normal eye pressures and still have glaucoma). When this happens, it can cause a loss of peripheral vision, or “tunnel vision”. Glaucoma usually has no symptoms and without regular screenings it can be hard to detect. Generally by the time a patient notices a loss of peripheral vision, it is too late to reverse damage. So it is very important to have annual eye exams to make sure the eye is healthy. Glaucoma is determined by checking the eye pressure, measuring the peripheral vision, dilating pupils so that Dr. Haas can evaluate the optic nerves. Photographs or optic nerve scans are taken as well. Glaucoma can be controlled with eye drops, but sometimes surgical procedures or laser treatments are needed to control this disease.

Glaucoma occurs when the fluids in the eye cause fluctuations in the pressure exerted on the eye, leading to tunnel vision (loss of peripheral vision). Because glaucoma results in nerve damage, its effects cannot be reversed- but they can be prevented with regular eye checkups. These screenings measure eye pressure and peripheral vision by dilating the pupils to evaluate the health of the optic nerves. When glaucoma is detected, eye drops can minimize the effects. In more serious cases, surgical procedures or laser treatments can help combat the disease.

Back to Eye Care