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Home Eye Care Services Glaucoma

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a condition that often progresses without leading to any symptoms in the beginning. As a result, this is a condition that can progress unchecked. This is also the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the elderly. Millions of people likely have this condition and don’t even realize it. It is important to rely on trained eye doctors in Arizona to diagnose and treat this condition.

Glaucoma is a condition that develops due to abnormal pressure behind the eye. A glaucoma specialist can use a tool to check the pressure behind each eye individually and help glaucoma patients treat it. In glaucoma, the optic nerve is damaged. This is a nerve that connects the brain to the eyes, enabling the brain to interpret signals that come from the eyes. This damage usually comes from elevated eye pressure caused by increased fluid production or reduced drainage.

When someone suffers from glaucoma, this condition progresses gradually. In the beginning, there might not be any symptoms at all. As a result, this condition might get worse and people don’t even know it. This is what makes it so dangerous and why early detection is important.

The team at Swagel Wootton can help diagnose this condition and provide treatment quickly. Our goal is to detect and treat this condition before it compromises someone’s vision. Even though there might not be a cure for this condition, we have ways to control it.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a condition that often progresses without leading to any symptoms in the beginning. As a result, this is a condition that can progress unchecked. This is also the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the elderly. Millions of people likely have this condition and don’t even realize it. It is important to rely on trained eye doctors in Arizona to diagnose and treat this condition.

Glaucoma is a condition that develops due to abnormal pressure behind the eye. A glaucoma specialist can use a tool to check the pressure behind each eye individually and help glaucoma patients treat it. In glaucoma, the optic nerve is damaged. This is a nerve that connects the brain to the eyes, enabling the brain to interpret signals that come from the eyes. This damage usually comes from elevated eye pressure caused by increased fluid production or reduced drainage.

When someone suffers from glaucoma, this condition progresses gradually. In the beginning, there might not be any symptoms at all. As a result, this condition might get worse and people don’t even know it. This is what makes it so dangerous and why early detection is important.

The team at Swagel Wootton can help diagnose this condition and provide treatment quickly. Our goal is to detect and treat this condition before it compromises someone’s vision. Even though there might not be a cure for this condition, we have ways to control it.

Glaucoma Symptoms

In the beginning, there might not be any symptoms at all. Over time, the symptoms may start to appear. Some of the most common symptoms of glaucoma include:

  • Gradual loss of peripheral vision
  • Mild aching in the eyes
  • Sudden, severe eye pain
  • Eye pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting in some cases
  • Seeing halos around lights
  • Reduced visual acuity (especially at night) that is not correctable with glasses
  • Blurred vision

Anyone with these symptoms needs to see a doctor as quickly as possible.

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Are You at Risk of Glaucoma?

There are a few people who are at a higher risk of glaucoma. Some of the most common risk factors include advanced age, those with a family history of this condition, individuals who have developed diabetes, and those who have to take steroids. Glaucoma also tends to be more prevalent in African American and Hispanic populations. Anyone who falls into these categories must make sure they receive regular eye exams.

If you are looking to learn more about glaucoma, then you should reach out to us today to learn more about the Phoenix glaucoma treatment options we provide. Call us today to schedule an appointment with a member of our team. We are here to help you protect and preserve your vision with expert Phoenix glaucoma treatments.

Diagnosing Glaucoma

Eye care professionals can diagnose glaucoma in a variety of ways. These methods may include:

  • A tonometry procedure to check your eye pressure. During this procedure, numbing eye drops are applied before a tonometer probe is used to measure and record your eye’s resistance and pressure.
  • An ophthalmoscopy to record the shape of your eye and optic nerve. If your optic nerve is cupped or not a vibrant pink color, this may be a sign that you have glaucoma. Your eye doctor will perform additional tests to confirm a diagnosis.
  • A perimetry test to map your current field of vision. During this test, you will look straight ahead into a white, bowl-shaped area and be asked to identify when lights come into view. Identifying which lights you can see and which ones you can’t will help your doctor determine which form of glaucoma you may have.
  • A gonioscopy eye exam to evaluate your eye’s internal drainage system. This method also helps identify the type of glaucoma that may be present.
  • A nerve fiber layer analysis to evaluate nerve fiber. This test provides your eye doctor with a closer look at the layer of nerve fiber typically damaged by glaucoma.

Trusted Glaucoma Experts

Swagel Wootton’s Dr. Lance Stutz, MD is a comprehensive ophthalmologist and glaucoma treatment expert. Swagel Wootton provides industry-leading care using the latest, advanced technology and techniques, including FDA-approved Durysta®.

Meet Dr. Stutz, MD
Dr. Lance Stutz, MD Comprehensive Ophthalmologist at Swagel Wootton Eye Institute

My patient care philosophy is that the patient should always come first.

Lance Stutz, MD
How is Glaucoma Treated?

Treatment options vary substantially depending on the type of glaucoma and the stage the disease is in. For many patients, prescription eye drops are sufficient, but some patients will need systemic medications and/or glaucoma surgery. Our Arizona eye specialists have extensive surgical experience with glaucoma patients of all types.

Swagel Wootton Eye Institute glaucoma treatments include:

  • Durysta®: The first and only FDA-approved dissolvable ocular implant to reduce eye pressure in patients with open angle glaucoma or high eye pressure. Durysta® is a tiny dissolvable implant placed in the eye by your eye doctor that releases medicine to help reduce eye pressure inside the eye.
  • LPI: Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI) is a laser treatment for narrow angles, narrow angle glaucoma, and acute angle closure glaucoma. During LPI treatment, a laser is used to target the narrow angles between the iris and cornea in an attempt to widen them and increase fluid flow. This allows the eye to better regulate intraocular pressure.
  • iStent®: If you’ve been managing your glaucoma symptoms with medication, and also need cataract surgery, iStent Trabecular Micro-Bypass may be an ideal option for you. iStent is a tiny implant that’s helped thousands of people with glaucoma successfully manage their intraocular pressure and reduce or eliminate their need for hypotensive eyedrops. By taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity during cataract surgery, you can address both conditions at the same time.
  • SLT: Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a laser-enabled procedure to treat intraocular pressure (IOP) caused by open-angle glaucoma. Successful SLT treatment typically lasts anywhere from 1 to 5 years. Patients can undergo SLT surgery multiple times as needed. SLT may replace the need for glaucoma medication in some patients, but additional medications may still be needed in some cases.

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