Glaucoma

Glaucoma affects the optic nerves at the back of your eyes. These nerves transmit information from your eye to your brain, which your brain then interprets to provide you with sight.

Glaucoma damages the optic nerve fibers. As a result, fluid builds up in your eyes, creating pressure and leading to blind spots and vision loss.

During its early stages, glaucoma doesn’t cause symptoms. Still, as the disease progresses, you might develop:

• Blurred vision
• Eye pain
• Blind spots
• Rainbow halos
• Red or swollen eyes
• Tunnel vision
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea

To prevent glaucoma from causing irreversible damage, it’s essential to attend regular eye exams at North Florida Eye Center. You should also visit your eye doctor if you develop glaucoma symptoms between routine exams.

Anyone can get glaucoma, but it’s more likely to affect those with certain risk factors, which include:

• Family history of glaucoma
• Older age
• High intraocular pressure
• Optic nerve problems
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Cataracts
• Eye tumors or inflammation
• Eye injuries or infections
• Blocked intraocular blood vessels

You can reduce your risk of glaucoma by adopting healthy lifestyle habits, protecting your eyes, and managing chronic diseases like diabetes properly.

Your North Florida Eye Center doctor recommends treatment depending on how advanced your glaucoma is.

Options include:

• Eye drops: Initial glaucoma treatment usually involves using eye drops. These drops contain medication that reduces the pressure inside your eyes.

 

• Oral medication: If eye drops alone aren’t reducing the pressure in your eyeballs, your doctor may also prescribe oral medications.

 

• Laser surgery: Laser surgery is an option for patients whose glaucoma medications don’t work. Light energy in the laser beam opens up clogged channels in the eyes that prevent fluid drainage and lead to pressure building up.

 

• Glaucoma surgery: Glaucoma surgery might be necessary if medications and laser therapies don’t work or less invasive procedures aren’t suitable for you. The North Florida Eye Center team uses MIGS (minimally invasive glaucoma surgery) techniques to minimize tissue damage where possible.

Some MIGS procedures improve your eye’s natural fluid outflow, while others shunt fluid to the outside of your eye or reduce eye fluid production. The team performs some MIGS procedures at the same time as cataract surgery.