Glaucoma Treatment Durango & Cortez, CO and Farmington, NM

What is Glaucoma?

One of the leading causes of blindness in people over 60 years old, glaucoma is a disease that damages your eye’s optic nerve. It typically occurs when fluid builds up in the front part of your eye. Normally, excess fluid leaves the eye through drainage canals, but when it doesn’t, that excess fluid increases the pressure in your eye, thus damaging the optic nerve.

There are two major types of glaucoma. The most common is primary open-angle glaucoma, which occurs in about 90% of cases. It develops gradually, where the eye doesn’t drain fluid properly. As a result, eye pressure builds up and starts to have a damaging effect on the optic nerve.

Since some people have optic nerves that are sensitive to normal eye pressure, their risk of developing glaucoma is higher than normal. Given that primary open-angle glaucoma is painless and causes no vision changes at first, regular eye exams are important to detect any early signs of optic nerve damage.

Another type of the disease is angle-closure glaucoma, also known as “closed-angle glaucoma” or “narrow-angle glaucoma.” It occurs when the iris – the thin, circular structure of the eye that controls the size of the pupil and the amount of light reaching the retina – is extremely close to the drainage angle in the eye. As a result, the iris can end up blocking the drainage angle.

Once the drainage angle is completely blocked, eye pressure rises rapidly, causing an acute attack that could result in blindness if not treated promptly. This type of glaucoma is a medical emergency.

Glaucoma Symptoms

• Sudden blurry vision
• Severe eye pain
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Rainbow-colored rings or halos around lights

In some cases, angle-closure glaucoma develops slowly, which is characterized as chronic angle-closure glaucoma. Since there are no symptoms at first, you may not know you have it until the damage is severe or you experience an attack – or your ophthalmologist detects it during a comprehensive eye examination.

Glaucoma Surgery Options

The good news is that glaucoma can be treated with conventional surgery, minimally invasive surgery, or laser treatment.

For Comprehensive Glaucoma Diagnsosis and Treatment Contact Southwest Eye Consultants Today!

If you suspect you have glaucoma or have been diagnosed with glaucoma, Southwest Eye Consultants can provide the effective treatment you need to improve your vision. To schedule an evaluation, call us at (970) 828-2200 or request an appointment online.