Glaucoma

Detection and Treatment of Glaucoma

There are many good reasons for you and your family to receive regular eye exams and of them, glaucoma can be one of the most frightening. Our eye doctors at Highlands Optometry are ready to partner with you in the early detection and treatment of glaucoma or anything else which may threaten your vision. Contact either of our convenient locations in Bristol or Wise to schedule an initial visit.

Glaucoma comes in several varieties. In most forms of glaucoma, fluids build up in the front part of the eye due to congestion or blockage of the “angle” (the part of your eye between your iris and your cornea). This causes increased pressure within the eye and eventually damages the optic nerve. As it becomes increasingly difficult for the eye to send appropriate signals to the brain, vision becomes blurry and can quickly deteriorate into complete blindness.

Who’s At Risk of Glaucoma?

Glaucoma can appear at any time, but the risks increase as you grow older. It tends to run in families, but science has not yet been able to isolate all of the factors leading to manifestation. In other words, anyone could be at risk, but the risk is greater as you age and even greater if someone else in your family has glaucoma. Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness for people aged 60 and above.

Some forms of glaucoma produce clear symptoms such as blurry vision, headaches, eye pain, nausea, or rainbow-colored halos around lights. Many other forms, however, do not. They are only detectable through a thorough eye exam. Modern optometry can often preserve or protect your vision, but it cannot reverse the damage already done. That is why regular eye exams are so critical.

An Ounce of Prevention

Glaucoma is only one of many conditions that are detectable through modern optometry. There is an extensive list of potentially severe conditions that are often only detectable by your local optometrist. Eye exams can detect early symptoms of diabetes, potential stroke, several forms of cancer, high blood pressure, Lyme Disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and many more. As with so many things, the earlier the detection, the more effective the treatment.

Eye Care at Highlands Optometry

We live in complicated times and there may be things that we can’t control or prevent. All the more reason, then, to take rational, easy steps to do what we can to take care of ourselves and protect those we love. At Highlands Optometry, in Bristol and Wise, we’d like to be part of that care. Call us today and let’s talk about how we can make that happen. You can reach our Bristol office at (276) 466-4227 or our Wise office at (276) 679-5612.