One of the reasons it's important to have regular eye examinations when you get older is so you can be tested for glaucoma. You can have this eye condition and not even know it sine there usually aren't any symptoms when it is in the early stages. However, your eye doctor can easily detect it by examining your eyes and checking your eye pressure. Early treatment could save you from going blind. Here is some information on how you get tested for glaucoma and how it is treated.
Comprehensive Eye Examination For Glaucoma
When you have a full eye exam, the eye doctor can pick up on evidence of glaucoma, as well as other eye diseases. By doing a visual inspection of the inside of your eye with a special scope and light, the doctor can look for damage to your optic nerve, health of your cornea, and condition of the drainage channels in your eyes. To further check for glaucoma, the doctor will test the pressure in your eyes. All these tests are easy to undergo and painless. In addition to the eye tests, your doctor will also check your field of vision for blind spots since glaucoma often causes loss of peripheral vision. With the results of all these tests, your eye doctor can determine if you have glaucoma and tell how advanced it is.
Treatment For Glaucoma
Since glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness, your eye doctor will probably start you on treatment right away. This usually starts with prescription eye drops. There are different classes of drugs used for glaucoma. Since the increased pressure in your eyes is caused by poor drainage of fluid, the medications affect drainage in different ways. Some drugs decrease the production of the fluid while others increase the rate at which it flows through the drainage fields in your eyes. Once you start medication for glaucoma, you'll need to have your eye pressures monitored regularly to make sure the condition is kept under control. You may need to have your medication changed or the dose adjusted as you age.
If medication fails to work, your doctor may recommend surgery for your glaucoma. There are different surgical approaches that can be taken. The procedures focus on improving the flow of fluid from your eyes. This might be done by unblocking a clogged channel, inserting drainage tubes in your eyes, or removing part of the drainage field.
In order to protect your vision and prevent blindness, be sure to take prescribed medications as ordered by your doctor. If you're lax about using your eye drops, glaucoma can damage your optic nerve and cause permanent vision loss. For additional information, you will want to check out http://montgomeryeye.com/.
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