Eyes are forever busy in making aqueous humor. A clear liquid covers the front of the eyes and leaves the cornea and iris using channels. These channels may get blocked due to medications, high blood pressure, or reduction of blood flow to the optic nerve and cause glaucoma.

 

You may suffer from severe pain in the eyes, nausea, vision disturbances, rings around lights, or redness because of glaucoma.

 

Can You Suffer from Glaucoma?

The World Health Organization has reported glaucoma to be the second leading reason for blindness globally. If you are over the age of 60, your chances of having glaucoma increase significantly. If your eyes have suffered from a physical injury, the pressure in the optic nerve could be increased and cause glaucoma. It can also be attributed to your family and medical history.

 

Diagnosing Glaucoma

When you visit your ophthalmologist for glaucoma, you would be subjected to a comprehensive eye examination. The doctor will ask about your medical history to know if you have diabetes or high blood pressure or if there is a history of glaucoma in your family.

 

For this, your ophthalmologist would run tests and, sometimes, take photographs of your optic nerve.

 

Getting to the Root — Checking for Glaucoma

Your ophthalmologist may click pictures of your optic nerve to compare the diagnosis over time. The internal pressure of your eyes may be checked in the tonometry test. Your eyes would first be numbed using eye drops before checking the intraocular pressure. If your cornea is thin, your risks for glaucoma are increased. An ophthalmologist may check your cornea in the pachymetry test. To know if glaucoma is affecting your vision, your ophthalmologist may run the perimetry test. This would be done by measuring your peripheral and central vision.

 

Treatment

Glaucoma treatment is initially focused on reducing intraocular pressure. This can be done by using medications. Your ophthalmologist would determine the best course of treatment for you and prescribe you pills or eye drops.

 

Sometimes, surgery may be required to reduce the pressure inside your eyes. Your ophthalmologist may make a drainage path to drain the excess fluid. A laser peripheral iridotomy may be necessary to facilitate the movement of excess fluid through orifices in your iris.

 

Caring for Glaucoma

Visiting your doctor regularly for eye exams can help in preventing glaucoma from getting worse. Catching it early can stop it from causing vision loss.

Following your surgery, prevent your eyes from any external injury. Do not touch your eyes and face often. When you need to use eye drops, wash your hands properly.

Monitor your eye health regularly to check for any change in vision or pain. Use sunglasses when outside to protect your eyes.

 

If You Have Glaucoma

If your eyes have shown any symptoms of glaucoma, you should visit an ophthalmologist. At West Texas Eyecare, we provide the best treatment for your eyes and help you with the journey through glaucoma.

 

Learn more about diagnosing & care for glaucoma, contact West Texas Eyecare in Fort Stockton at (432) 336-3662, or Pecos, TX at (432) 445-3662.