Glaucoma is a serious eye disease that affects millions of people all over the world. If not treated on time, it could lead to severe vision loss or maybe even blindness. Fortunately, today there are several treatments available for people who have recently been diagnosed with glaucoma and our doctors at Luke Eye Associates in Midland, TX, can help you with the right choice for you. The sooner a patient gets a diagnosis, the more options they will have for treatment.
Early Stages of Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a disease that affects the optic nerve due to a low amount of pressure in the eye. In the earliest stages, patients will not feel pain or notice big changes in their vision. In fact, glaucoma can only be diagnosed in its earliest stages by an eye exam. Specifically, our eye doctor must use a tonometer to measure the pressure on the optic nerve.
Without a glaucoma screening many people don't know that they have a problem until they start noticing dark spots or wavy lines in their field of vision. Glaucoma symptoms, such as tunnel vision or eye pain, are not usually noticeable until later stages of the disease.
Treatments
One of the very first treatments that is attempted for most glaucoma patients is prescription eye drops. There are several eye drop options that can help if you are experiencing low eye pressure. The drops also work to bring eye pressure to a range that does no further damage to the optic nerve. Most brands work to either inhibit the production of fluid or help expel fluid more rapidly than usual. If glaucoma is diagnosed early, many patients are able to use the eye drops for years without needing further treatment.
If the glaucoma is more severe, oral medication can be prescribed in addition to the eye drops. The medication usually works by decreasing how much fluid is produced within the eye. Both eye drops and oral medication can be prescribed before a patient actually notices any symptoms of glaucoma.
If these treatments don't work, there are many different types of glaucoma surgery that can help. If the disease has progressed to this point, our optometrists will discuss which treatment would work best for the patient. Some of the surgical options available are simple laser procedures that take an hour or two with very short recovery times.
Visit Luke Eye Associates Today
If you live in the Midland, TX, area and you've been previously diagnosed with glaucoma, or if you simply need to schedule a screening, give Luke Eye Associates a call at (432) 234-1795. We look forward to speaking with you!