Glaucoma Diagnosis & Treatment Dallas, Texas

Glaucoma is a degenerative condition that damages the optic nerve in your eye, and is associated with pressure buildup, often called intraocular pressure. Most people experience glaucoma later in life.

Inside your eye, the optic nerve is what transmits images to your brain; as pressure builds up over time, eventually it causes you to lose your vision, resulting in total and permanent blindness.

Diagnosing the Disease

Unfortunately, there are usually not any early signs or symptoms associated with the disease, which makes it difficult to determine that you have it. When it is more advanced, some of the symptoms include halos, vision loss (especially side vision), red or hazy eyes, nausea, pain, and headaches.

To catch the disease early, it’s best to visit the eye doctor regularly. Early diagnosis and treatment is critical with glaucoma to prevent long-term visual loss. If you have a family history of glaucoma, regular eye doctor visits, exams, and early detection are even more critical. In addition, if you suffer from chronic health problems such as diabetes, you may be at an increased risk for glaucoma.

At Vision Quest, our Dallas eye care experts will test for side vision (the first vision to go when you develop glaucoma) with a visual field test, examine eyes through dilated pupils, and may perform a tonometry to check for eye pressure.

Treatment for Glaucoma in Dallas and Greenville, Texas

There are different treatments for glaucoma, depending on the progression of the disease, beginning with prescription eye drops to improve the flow of fluid through the eye. Laser surgery may also increase the flow of fluid and reduce the likelihood of pressure building up inside the optic nerve.

Laser surgery can either open up the areas around the eye to help fluid flow more freely, or to reduce the production of fluid overall. Another surgical procedure, called microsurgery, can open up a new channel that allows fluid to drain safely out of the eye.

If you think you may be at increased risk of developing glaucoma, or you have already started to experience some of the symptoms, schedule an appointment with Vision Quest located in Dallas and Greenville today to find out how we can help. Early screenings and regular check-ups are the key to maintaining your best eye health.