Helping to Protect Your Vision

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that progressively damage your optic nerve. This condition develops gradually without early warning signs or symptoms. As a result, most patients don’t notice a difference in vision until the advanced stages, when extensive damage has already occurred.

Glaucoma is more common in older adults, and it’s one of the leading causes of blindness in patients over 60. However, there have been instances of glaucoma in younger people.

Glaucoma testing is available to our patients in every routine eye exam. Using advanced diagnostic technology, our optometrists work hard to detect glaucoma in its earliest stages. Then, swift treatment can prevent further damage and save your vision.

If you would like more information about glaucoma testing and how to protect your vision, book an appointment today!

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Types of Glaucoma

Your eye consistently produces aqueous humor, which should flow in and out of your eye in perfect balance. Aqueous drains out through the drainage angle. This process keeps pressure in the eye (called intraocular pressure or IOP) stable.

There are many types of glaucoma, but the most common types include:

Normal-tension glaucoma: Damages the optic nerve without affecting your IOP levels.
Open-angle glaucoma: Occurs when the drainage angle between your iris and pupil remains open, but the fluid isn’t draining correctly to maintain normal IOP.
Closed-angle glaucoma: Occurs when the drainage angle between your iris and pupil closes, which causes a rapid increase in IOP levels.

Acute closed-angle glaucoma is a severe emergency that requires swift medical treatment to prevent vision loss. These are the symptoms to watch for:

Sudden headaches
Severe headaches
Severe Eye pain
Nausea and vomiting
Blurry vision
“Halos” around lights
Redness

Diagnosis & Management of Glaucoma

Great news: You can have glaucoma and still maintain strong, healthy eyesight. Early detection, routine eye exams, and careful management will help you live with this disease. Total Vision Rancho Bernardo is here to help you maintain your eye health!

A glaucoma diagnosis can be frightening and life-changing, but remember you have a team of compassionate and experienced optometrists in your corner. Give us a call If you have any questions about glaucoma or would like to schedule an eye exam.