glaucoma
most people live with glaucoma rather than suffer from it
A disease of the optic nerve
This is the nerve at the back of the eye that sends information to your brain about the light that enters the eye, creating sight.
If the nerve becomes diseased, it can eventually take away your sight. Most glaucoma is associated with raised eye pressure.
Fortunately, much glaucoma is picked up when you go for spectacle checks. Your optician can carry out some tests to see if you are at risk of glaucoma. If they are concerned, they can refer you to the happy eye clinic for an in-depth assessment.
a glaucoma assessment consists of:
- asking you questions about you and your health, including details of any medications that you make be taking and allergies
- a complete examination of your eyes
- some tests, including a thickness assessment of the front of the eyes, measurement of the function of the eye and perhaps a scan of the nerve at the back of the eye. You may have had some or all of these done by your optician
If glaucoma is diagnosed, the mainstay of treatment is to lower the eye pressure. This can be done with medication (eye drops), laser treatments, surgery or a combination of treatments.
Sometimes you are found to have high eye pressures or to be only at risk of developing glaucoma. You may be offered treatment, or observation may be all that is required.
If you have glaucoma, you will need usually to be monitored every 6-12 months.