Glaucoma Specialist

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a disease that can cause significant damage to your optic nerve. It happens when a fluid in your eye, called aqueous humor, doesn’t drain properly. This buildup of liquid increases the pressure in your eye, harming your optic nerve.

Glaucoma typically affects both eyes, but it doesn’t always progress at the same pace. One of your eyes might experience more pressure and damage than the other.

If left untreated, glaucoma can lead to progressive vision loss and blindness.

What are the different types of glaucoma?

There are two common types of glaucoma:

Open-angle glaucoma

Open-angle is the most common type of glaucoma. It comes on very gradually and doesn’t cause any noticeable pain or changes in your vision at first. 

You begin to notice patchy blind spots in your peripheral vision as open-angle glaucoma progresses, but most people don’t become aware of the changes until their eye experiences significant damage. 

Acute angle-closure glaucoma

Acute angle-closure glaucoma comes on in a sudden and acute attack. It typically happens if your iris is too close to your cornea, leaving your eye with less room than it needs to drain fluid properly. An attack can produce the following symptoms.

• Intense headache
• Pain in your eyes or forehead
• Eye redness
• Seeing halos or rainbows
• Sudden blurry vision
• Vomiting or nausea 

Acute angle-closure glaucoma is an eye emergency. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, call Texas Eye Doctors immediately for urgent care.

How do I know if I have glaucoma?

Glaucoma symptoms aren’t particularly noticeable at first. It eventually causes tunnel vision and patchy blind spots in your peripheral vision, but by the time you notice these changes in your vision, the disease has already done permanent damage to your optic nerve.

Because of glaucoma’s penchant for developing silently, it’s incredibly important to screen for it with regular eye exams at Texas Eye Doctors. You should have a glaucoma screening every two years as part of your regular eye exam starting at age 65, or age 40 if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a history of the disease in your family.

How is glaucoma treated?

While treatment can’t reverse the damage caused by glaucoma, it can help prevent further damage. Texas Eye Doctors offers a few different treatment options, both medical and surgical. 

An effective treatment is the prescription of special eye drops that can help relieve the pressure in your eye by decreasing your fluid production or helping the fluid drain. 

Texas Eye Doctors also offers laser treatments, like selective laser trabeculoplasty, which uses a state-of-the-art laser surgical system to open your clogged drainage channels and release your built-up eye fluid.

Don’t wait any longer to treat your glaucoma or receive testing. Schedule a visit at Texas Eye Doctors today by calling the office or booking an appointment online.