Glaucoma

Glaucoma is one of the major causes of vision loss in the United States. Manage this condition and preserve your vision with care from the expert team at AssociatesMD, located in Plantation, Pembroke Pines, Davie, Weston, Margate, Dania Beach, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Call the office nearest you or schedule using the online booking agent to have your glaucoma evaluated.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of diseases characterized by a buildup of pressure within the eye. This pressure can cause vision loss and even blindness.

In a healthy eye, fluid flows in and out of the front space of the eye — or the anterior chamber. This fluid moisturizes the tissue of the eye. When you have glaucoma, however, this fluid moves slowly so pressure increases in the anterior chamber. The pressure causes damage to the optic nerve.

Glaucoma is usually associated with aging and occurs in both eyes.

What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

In its earliest stages, glaucoma might not have any obvious symptoms. With time, however, you may notice:

• A loss of peripheral vision
• Eye pain and blurred vision
• Tunnel vision
• Poor vision, especially in dim lighting
• Redness in the eyes
• Appearance of halos around lights

Who is at risk of developing glaucoma?

Glaucoma is often associated with aging, but it can develop due to diabetes, a tumor, inflammation, or an advanced cataract. Risk factors for glaucoma include:

• Getting older
• Eye injuries
• Specific conditions, such as diabetes
• Eye surgery
• Nearsightedness

It’s important to get regular eye exams, especially if you have these risk factors, so glaucoma can be caught early and successfully managed.

How is glaucoma managed?

Early stages of glaucoma benefit from treatment with eyedrops. The AssociatesMD doctors may also recommend oral medications. If medications don’t work or aren’t well tolerated, you may benefit from laser treatment or surgery.

Laser treatment, known as selective laser trabeculoplasty, helps lower the intraocular pressure that builds with glaucoma. It’s effective for people with open-angle glaucoma and involves applying laser energy to the drainage tissue in the eye, which leads to better fluid drainage.

If you suffer from glaucoma, seek expert care from the providers at AssociatesMD to prevent its progression and save your eyesight. Call the office for an appointment or schedule using the online tool.