Glaucoma Diagnosis and Treatment
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in the United States. Glaucoma is sustained increased pressure inside your eye which causes damage to the optic nerve and can lead to loss of vision or blindness if left untreated.
Glaucoma develops when the production of the fluid inside your eye increases or the fluid does not drain adequately. This causes the pressure to rise in the eye. Nerve fibers and blood vessels in the optic nerve become compressed and can be damaged or destroyed.
During a routine eye examination, Dr. Giltner will check the pressure inside each eye and will look for changes to the optic nerve which can be an indication of early glaucoma. If there is any indication of early glaucoma, further testing will be done. These tests may include visual fields and gonioscopy. We also utilize state of the art equipment such as the OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography). This allows us to actually take pictures of the back surface inside your eye and measure nerve fiber layer thicknesses. If glaucoma is diagnosed, your eye pressure will need to be monitored during regular examinations.
Glaucoma is treated with eye drops or pills that reduce the pressure inside your eye by increasing the drainage of the fluid in your eye or by decreasing its production. Sometimes a combination of eye drops and oral medications are prescribed. Dr. Giltner carefully monitors your eye pressures and your prescriptions to meet your particular needs. Patient compliance is mandatoryfor the effective treatment of this eye disease.
If your pressure cannot be controlled with medications, either trabeculoplasty (laser surgery) or trabeculectomy (traditional surgery) may be recommended. Currently we are able to treat many patients with SLT (Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty), which is an in office laser procedure.
Fortunately, there is something you can do to protect your eyesight from glaucoma. Your best defense is to have regular eye examinations, especially if you’re over forty. Glaucoma can not be cured, but with regular visits to your ophthalmologist and faithful use of specially prescribed medications, it can be controlled. Early detection and treatment are the only ways to prevent permanent loss of vision.
Please contact our office for a consultation and evaluation at 303-839-7878.