GLAUCOMA
THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF GLAUCOMA
In the early stages of glaucoma, patients don't notice any symptoms at all. As a result, their glaucoma can continue to progress in secret. Instead of living unaware and experiencing permanent vision loss in the future, have a complete eye examination on a yearly basis to check for glaucoma and other medical conditions.
WHAT IS GLAUCOMA?
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases in which the optic nerve is damaged, resulting in permanent loss of vision if not detected and treated. Most patients do not have any symptoms in the early stages of damage, so they don’t realize they are losing their vision.
The only way to find out if you have glaucoma is to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam. While there is no cure for glaucoma, there are many treatment options including eye drops, laser treatment and several surgical procedures that halt or slow the progression of this potentially blinding disease.
Dr. Wooldridge is a founding member of the Optometric Glaucoma Society, a group of optometrist clinicians, scientists and educators. He is nationally recognized by his peers as a leader in glaucoma care and education. Call the Eye Foundation of Utah in Salt Lake City today to make an appointment with Dr. Wooldridge.
HOW IS GLAUCOMA DIAGNOSED?
While most patients think of the IOP measurement as “the glaucoma test,” there is far more to an examination to detect glaucoma. Dr. Wooldridge can determine if you have glaucoma with tests like:
Measurement INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE (IOP)
Measuring the IOP is an important part of the glaucoma assessment but it’s not the most important part! While high IOP increases your risk of developing glaucoma, not everyone with high IOP will develop glaucoma and some people with normal IOP still develop glaucoma. At the Eye Foundation, we use the worldwide gold standard Goldmann tonometer AND a next generation instrument that has been shown in many studies to provide an even more accurate measurement than Goldmann tonometry.
DILATED EYE EXAM
A dilated eye exam is necessary to assess the appearance of the optic nerve. Glaucoma damage is sometimes obvious on examination alone; in other cases, early damage can only be detected with a special optic nerve scan.
OPTIC NERVE PHOTOS
High resolution optic nerve photographs are compared over time to check for subtle changes in appearance that may signal early or progressive glaucoma damage. The Eye Foundation uses special technology to compare the photographs that enables the doctor to see changes earlier than the methods used in most centers.
OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY (OCT)
OCT is a noninvasive imaging method that uses reflected light to create images of the optic nerve and retina. The Eye Foundation uses this revolutionary, highly sensitive technology to detect and monitor glaucoma and many retinal diseases. It often allows our doctors to detect glaucoma damage before it is visible on clinical examination.
VISUAL FIELD TEST
If not detected and treated, glaucoma causes slow loss of vision, starting with your side (peripheral) vision — especially the part of your vision that’s closest to your nose. Because it happens so slowly, most people can’t tell that their vision is changing at first. A visual field test is a very sensitive test of your peripheral vision used to catch early loss of vision before you are aware of it.
THE PROCESS
Once you do the hard part of deciding to seek care, the Eye Foundation will work to make the process as simple as possible. Dr. Wooldridge is a nationally known medical glaucoma specialist. To protect your vision, he and Dr. Bradley Anderson offer a wide range of treatments, including eye drops, laser treatments and surgery.
Do you think you may have angle-closure or open-angle glaucoma? Or have you just been diagnosed? Time is of the essence. Contact our office immediately or call 385-388-4008.
PURSUING THE GLAUCOMA TREATMENT
Catching glaucoma in its early, symptomless stages is crucial — and we're here to help. We offer advanced glaucoma care to detect damage early and prevent additional loss of vision. Treatment options are usually simpler, and prognosis is better if the glaucoma is caught in its early stages. Our team will carefully evaluate your eyes, explain our findings, answer your questions, and prescribe the particular treatment plan that best meets your needs and preferences. Don't wait — visit our Salt Lake City, UT-area practice for the medical attention you need.
IS GLAUCOMA TREATMENT COVERED BY INSURANCE?
Yes, insurance can help with the cost of glaucoma treatment. However, it will not cover the full cost of your treatment. You will need to meet your deductible first. Still, it may help to remember that the earlier you treat your glaucoma, the less extensive and expensive it will likely be.
To make treatment possible, we accept CareCredit® financing. It offers low-interest or no-interest options that you can pay off over time. Have questions? Our team is happy to answer them.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF GLAUCOMA
OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA
Open-Angle Glaucoma (OAG) is the most common type in the United States, accounting for approximately 90% of cases. It occurs when the aqueous humor does not drain out of the eye at the normal rate thereby causing the intraocular pressure (IOP) to rise.
Much like high blood pressure can cause damage to the brain, high IOP causes damage to the optic nerve with resultant loss of vision. Treatment is directed at lowering the IOP to prevent optic nerve damage, thereby preserving vision.
The general category Open-Angle glaucoma actually includes two subtypes, Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma and Normal Pressure Glaucoma (Normal Tension Glaucoma).
NORMAL PRESSURE GLAUCOMA
Normal Pressure (or Tension) Glaucoma (NTG) is a type of Open-Angle glaucoma in which optic nerve damage and loss of vision occurs even though the IOP is at a normal level.
The exact cause for this type of glaucoma isn’t clear but several things increase the risk for NTG:
- Japanese Ancestry
- Family History of NTG
- Low Blood Pressure
- History of Migraine Headaches
ANGLE CLOSURE GLAUCOMA (ACG)
In angle closure glaucoma, the iris (the colored part of your eye) covers all or part of the drainage system located in the anterior chamber angle thereby preventing the fluid from draining out and increasing the IOP. While more people are aware of Acute (Sudden Onset) Angle Closure Glaucoma, it can also occur in a gradual fashion.
Acute Angle closure Glaucoma causes the IOP to rise quickly and dramatically with symptoms of intense eye pain, redness and rapid onset of blurry vision. Such an event is an emergency and the patient should be evaluated immediately.
SECONDARY GLAUCOMA
Additional types of glaucoma are caused by another medical condition within the eye. Secondary glaucomas include the following:
- Pigmentary Glaucoma
- Exfoliatove Glaucoma (also known as Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome)
- Neovascular Glaucoma
- Uveitic Glaucoma