Glaucoma occurs from damage to the eye’s optic nerve and can often lead to loss of vision and blindness. To detect glaucoma, our highly trained doctors will perform a proper screening to determine severity, examine the damage, and help you manage your glaucoma.
Early detection of glaucoma is crucial in preventing vision loss and blindness; the earlier the better. However, there is no official cure for glaucoma. There are several treatment methods that manage, slow down, or halt the process. Treatment for glaucoma will vary depending on the stage and severity for each individual patient.
To learn more about what treatment plan best fits your unique visual needs, please don’t hesitate to call us today at (718) 429-2470!
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What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a disease that damages your eyes optic nerve. Your eye constantly makes aqueous humor. As new aqueous flows into your eye, the same amount should drain out. The fluid drains out through an area called the drainage angle. This process keeps pressure in the eye (called intraocular pressure or IOP) stable. But if the drainage angle is not working properly, fluid builds up. Pressure inside the eye rises, damaging the optic nerve.


There are two major types of glaucoma.
Open-angle glaucoma
This is the most common type of glaucoma. It happens gradually, where the eye does not drain fluid as well as it should (like a clogged drain). As a result, eye pressure builds and starts to damage the optic nerve. This type of glaucoma is painless and causes no vision changes at first.
Angle-closure glaucoma (also called “closed-angle glaucoma” or “narrow-angle glaucoma”)
This type happens when someone’s iris is very close to the drainage angle in their eye. The iris can end up blocking the drainage angle. You can think of it like a piece of paper sliding over a sink drain. When the drainage angle gets completely blocked, eye pressure rises very quickly. This is called an acute attack. It is a true eye emergency, and you should call our office right away or you might go blind. Many people with angle-closure glaucoma develop it slowly. This is called chronic angle-closure glaucoma. There are no symptoms at first, so they don’t know they have it until the damage is severe or they have an attack. Angle-closure glaucoma can cause blindness if not treated right away. Here are the signs of an acute angle-closure glaucoma attack:
- Your vision is suddenly blurry
- You have severe eye pain
- You have a headache
- You feel sick to your stomach (nausea)
- You throw up (vomit)
- You see rainbow-colored rings or halos around lights
Who Is at Risk for Glaucoma?
Some people have a higher than normal risk of getting glaucoma. This includes people who:
- are over age 40
- have family members with glaucoma
- are of African, Hispanic, or Asian heritage
- have high eye pressure
- are farsighted or nearsighted
- have had an eye injury
- use long-term steroid medications
- have corneas that are thin in the center
- have thinning of the optic nerve
- have diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure, poor blood circulation or other health problems affecting the whole body
Glaucoma is a silent thief of sight
Glaucoma has no symptoms in its early stages. In fact, half the people with glaucoma do not know they have it! Having regular eye exams can help your ophthalmologist find this disease before you lose vision. Your ophthalmologist can tell you how often you should be examined. Glaucoma damage is permanent—it cannot be reversed. But medicine and surgery help to stop further damage. To treat glaucoma, your ophthalmologist may use one or more of the following treatments.
1. Medications
- Eye Drops: These are often the first line of treatment. They help lower your eye pressure. Common types include:
- Latanoprost
- Timolol
- Dorzolamide
2. Laser Therapy
- Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI): Creates a small hole in the peripheral part of the iris to improve fluid drainage in cases of narrow-angle glaucoma.
3. Surgical Procedures
- Selective Laser Trabeculectomy (SLT): Uses short bursts of light to create a new drainage pathway for fluid to leave the eye, used in cases where other treatments have not been effective.
4. Lifestyle and Monitoring
- Regular Eye Exams: Essential for monitoring IOP and adjusting treatment as needed.
- Medication Adherence: Consistent use of prescribed medications is crucial for managing IOP.
- Healthy Lifestyle: Maintaining a healthy diet, managing comorbid conditions, and avoiding activities that may increase IOP can support overall eye health.
Each treatment option has its own benefits and potential side effects, and the choice of treatment is typically based on the type and stage of glaucoma, as well as the patient’s overall health and preferences. It’s important to work closely with the Doctor’s recommendations to mitigate further progression of the disease.