Glaucoma Services

Glaucoma Services

About Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness and visual impairment. It can affect patients of all ages, many of whom do not experience any symptoms. In fact, over half of the people afflicted do not even realize they have it. Glaucoma refers to a group of diseases that have the final common pathway of causing damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve functions much like a cable, connecting our eyes to our brains, relaying what we see. Damage from glaucoma, most frequently caused by elevated eye pressure, can lead to the development of blind spots in our visual field. Without routine eye exams to check the health of one’s eyes, these blind spots can go undetected and in the worst-case scenario can lead to total permanent blindness.
In the early stages, glaucoma does not have any noticeable symptoms and is commonly referred to as the “silent thief.” Though a cure has yet to be developed, its progression can be slowed via early detection and appropriate treatments.

Symptoms

Glaucoma often causes no pain or other noticeable symptoms until the disease has progressed significantly. Later stages of the disease may cause a gradual loss of peripheral vision, as well as eye pain, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, halos around lights and other troubling symptoms. The type and severity of symptoms depend on the type of glaucoma and the patient’s eye and overall health.

Risk Factors

Glaucoma can affect both newborns and the elderly and anyone in between. Those who are at an increased risk for developing glaucoma are those who:

• Are 45 years of age
• Do not attain regular eye exams
• Have a family history of the condition
• Experience abnormally high eye pressure
• Are of African heritage
• Have preexisting health conditions, such as Diabetes
• Are nearsighted
• Have experienced some form of eye trauma
• Have taken corticosteroids for extended periods of time

Diagnosis

At Navkar advanced eye, retina and dental care, we have a complete glaucoma evaluation set up which includes evaluating the intraocular pressure (tonometry), the corneal thickness (pachymetry), measuring the size of the angle between the cornea and iris (gonioscopy), observing and taking images of the appearance of the optic nerve, establishing the patient’s field of peripheral vision (perimetry/ visual fields), and documenting OCT of optic nerve head.

Management Options

Once a diagnosis of glaucoma is made, there are numerous approaches available to successfully manage the condition. All of these methods focus on reducing internal eye pressure to stop more injury to the optical nerve. A great number of people who are in the first stages of the disease are often able to delay or stop their vision loss by managing glaucoma with prescription eye drops.
For patients whose condition is more severe, we use various treatments, including MIGS (minimally invasive glaucoma surgery), laser therapies, and trabeculectomies, that may ease the condition significantly.

Take Control of Glaucoma

At Navkar advanced eye, retina and dental care, we frequently meet with individuals dealing with glaucoma to assist them in managing the disease. It’s critical to know that getting a diagnosis and treatment in the early stages can help you keep your symptoms under control. We urge everyone who has these symptoms, who has a genetic predisposition or who has a current diagnosis to plan a consultation.

With the experience of over 9 years in the field of Ophthalmology, Dr. Mit Doshi at Navkar advanced eye, retina and dental care is an expert in diagnosing and treating glaucoma patients.