Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a condition that affects the health of the optic nerves of our eyes. Many forms of glaucoma exist. With the primary form of glaucoma, pressures of our eyes can be elevated. The elevated pressures cause damage to the optic nerve, which over time leads to peripheral vision loss. Aside from this main form of glaucoma, other factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and other common health conditions can cause poor blood flow to the optic nerves. Similar to high eye pressures, a nerve that does not receive enough blood flow can also become damaged and lead to peripheral vision loss.

How does all this information relate to what a patient can experience? Glaucoma is a frightening disease in the fact that most patients do not experience any form of symptoms. Patients generally have no visual or comfort concerns. By having your eyes examined yearly at Breslow Eye Care, our doctors will evaluate you for any suspicions of glaucoma. Catching signs of glaucoma early is a key factor for preserving the vision of your eyes and helps lead to successful treatment. If any suspicions are noted, our doctors have the technology to further test your side vision with automated instruments as well as capture retinal photographs to document the current status of your eyes. With retinal imaging, our doctors can pick up on even the slightest changes. Finally, if treatment is needed, our doctors can prescribe medications to help control eye pressures. Proper glaucoma treatment may require several visits a year to ensure stability.

Glaucoma is a confusing eye disease and you can have confidence that our doctors will take the time needed to ensure proper education and understanding. If you have a family history of glaucoma, have been diagnosed with glaucoma, have concerns about the possibilities of glaucoma with your own eyes, or have other risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes, please call our office to schedule a comprehensive examination, which includes a glaucoma check-up. We look forward to helping address your concerns and keep you seeing well!