Glaucoma is an eye condition you should receive routine screening for, especially as you age. It can cause you to lose vision and even affect your ability to read, drive, and enjoy life. That's why our optometrists at Family Vision – Clemson are here to provide the testing and treatment you need for glaucoma. Here are a few common questions patients often have about glaucoma and how we can help.
What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that affect the optic nerve in your eye, which is the part of your eye that transmits visual information to your brain. Generally, it occurs when an abnormal amount of eye pressure causes damage to the optic nerve. Although there are various reasons why people develop this condition, we often see patients suffering from glaucoma due to a family history of it.
What Are the Symptoms of Glaucoma?
The symptoms depend on what type of glaucoma you have. You could have either open-angle or angle-closure. With open-angle glaucoma, you may develop patchy blind spots. They affect either your central or peripheral vision. Although it can affect one eye, this type of glaucoma more commonly affects both eyes. While with angle-closure glaucoma, you may experience blurred vision, severe headaches, eye pain, and halos around light. Some people experience nausea and vomiting as well and will notice their eyes appear red.
What Happens if You Don't Treat Glaucoma?
Glaucoma will worsen if left untreated, eventually leading to complete vision loss. It's actually one of the leading causing of blindness in people over 60 in the US. Unfortunately, any vision loss that you experience from glaucoma is permanent, and our optometrist won't be able to recover it once it's gone.
How Do Eye Doctors Diagnose Glaucoma?
Our eye doctors diagnose glaucoma using various tests, such as tonometry, which assesses pressure in your eyes. Additionally, our eye doctors may perform a visual field test to determine if you have experienced any vision loss and where it's at. Part of your screening may also include a dilation exam, so our optometrists can look inside your eye and evaluate the optic nerve.
Contact Us for Quality Eye Care in Clemson, SC
Glaucoma is a manageable condition, but early detection is crucial for the best outcome. Our eye doctors provide professional eye exams to thoroughly diagnose whatever eye-related issue you may be experiencing. At Family Vision - Clemson, our team is dedicated to helping our patients maintain their vision and eye health for years to come. To schedule an appointment, contact us at (864) 808-0269 today.
