Glaucoma
Northern California including the Greater Sacramento Area, Roseville, Rocklin, and Folsom
Glaucoma refers to a series of conditions that damage the optic nerve. Usually, this serious problem stems from excess pressure in the eye. Early detection and treatment are imperative steps for reducing vision loss and other damage from eye conditions like glaucoma, making it important to maintain regularly scheduled eye care visits with Dr. Wilmarth
Wilmarth Eye and Laser Center provides a wide variety of eye care services, including complete checkups and glaucoma screenings. Please call 916-850-3060 today to schedule your appointment. Stephen Wilmarth, M.D., serves patients in or around the Greater Sacramento area, Folsom and Roseville
Symptoms of Glaucoma
Increased pressure within the eye (medically known as intraocular pressure) damages the optic nerve and can lead to vision loss and possibly blindness. The eye maintains its own pressure independent of the rest of the body. It is import to understand the following facts about eye pressure.
- You can’t feel the pressure in your eye unless it’s extremely high.
- The pressure in you eyer is not related to your blood pressure.
- The pressure in your eye is not related to your mood or emotional state.
In the case of open-angle glaucoma, the most common type, optic nerve damage is very gradual, exhibiting few noticeable symptoms over time except for progressive deterioration of peripheral vision.
Less common but often more serious is acute or angle closure glaucoma, where structures in the eye block drainage of the fluid and cause intraocular pressure to rise to very high levels rapidly. This is not a common occurrence. The symptoms of acute glaucoma include.
- Sudden, severe eye pain
- Loss of vision
- Halo shapes around light sources
- Headache
- Nausea
Glaucoma Diagnosis
The best defense against glaucoma is regularly scheduled eye exams accompanied by glaucoma screenings. Glaucoma damage isn’t reversible, but the risk to eye health and sight can be more manageable with early detection.
During your full eye care examination, Dr. Wilmarth will test the following to check for glaucoma:
- Eye pressure (tonometry)
- Field of vision
- Condition of the optic nerve (dilated pupil exam)
- Cornea thickness
Starting at age 40, eye doctors recommend undergoing a glaucoma screening in tandem with your full eye exam every one to three years. Patients 60 and older are at the highest risk of glaucoma, and they should undergo screenings annually.
Glaucoma Treatment
If conducted early, these tests can help Dr. Wilmarth find evidence of glaucoma before the damage becomes too severe. Though the damage to the eye is not reversible, early detection and treatment of the symptoms will minimize vision loss. Once detected glaucoma is almost always treated successfully.
Common treatments for glaucoma include:
- Eye drops to regulate pressure in the eye
- Selective laser treatment to improve outflow of high pressure in the eye.
- Surgery if eye drops and laser are unable to control the pressure and prevent further damage to the optic nerve.
After assessing the health of your eyes and your vision, Dr. Wilmarth can discuss options to treat glaucoma and keep your vision and eyes healthy and functional.
If you begin experiencing vision loss, it’s important to seek eye care immediately. Please contact Wilmarth Eye and Laser Center today or call 916-850-3060 today to schedule a consultation. Dr. Wilmarth is pleased to see patients in the Greater Sacramento area, Folsom and Rocklin.