Southwest Florida Glaucoma Treatment
Southwest Florida Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that results in a gradual loss of vision, and occurs without warning or symptoms. Southwest Florida Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States in people over 40 years old (macular degeneration is the first). Unfortunately, up to 50% of people who have Southwest Florida glaucoma do not know that they have the eye disease.
Southwest Florida glaucoma leads to blindness by damaging the optic nerve. A common hallmark of this disease is an increased pressure in the eye, although not all types of Southwest Florida glaucoma arise from high pressures. The pressure increase slowly damages the eye’s optic nerve and causes peripheral vision loss at first which can progress to loss of all vision.
When detected early, blindness from Southwest Florida glaucoma is almost always preventable. Often there are no symptoms at first, but a comprehensive eye exam can detect early stages of Southwest Florida glaucoma.
A decrease of blood flow or oxygen to the optic nerve can lead to Southwest Florida glaucoma. This can be compared to shutting off the flow through a garden hose by squeezing the hose. When this occurs, nerve tissue is damaged, and the ability to transmit visual images to the brain is compromised. If this is allowed to continue, the nerve will die and blindness will result.
If you are at risk, you should have your eyes examined every year. Our specialized exam for Southwest Florida glaucoma will include a measurement of your eye pressure, visual fields, and nerve fiber layer, and a retinal photo. James E. Croley III, M.D. and the Cataract & Refractive Institute of Florida team have special instrumentation that is a powerful predictor of Southwest Florida glaucoma development.
There are many forms of Southwest Florida glaucoma. The most common form is called Open Angle Glaucoma which usually related to high intraocular pressure. There’s also one form of Southwest Florida glaucoma that is called low tension or normal tension where the pressure is not elevated. Acute (angle closure) Glaucoma is a much less common form and almost always involves one eye although the fellow eye has the same predisposition. It often develops rapidly, within 24 hours and is usually accompanied by severe pain and nausea. This type of Southwest Florida Glaucoma is an emergency and must be treated immediately in order to minimize vision loss as well as save the involved eye.
There is no treatment to reverse the effects of Southwest Florida glaucoma, but progression can be slowed down or prevented. The treatment goal in Southwest Florida Glaucoma Therapy is to prevent further damage from occurring and to preserve the existing vision. This is accomplished through the use of eye drops, laser and in some advance cases, surgery. Early treatment can help protect your eyes against vision loss. The effectiveness of any Southwest Florida Glaucoma Therapy in large part depends on your compliance to the treatment and keeping scheduled follow ups with us. Early detection is very important to prevent vision loss.
