Glaucoma

Maintaining Clear Vision

The risk of developing eye disease increases as you age. Glaucoma can occur at any age but is more common in older adults.

Our team at Central Texas Eye Center wants to help you understand glaucoma and offer treatment to help protect your vision. Contact us today to book a comprehensive eye exam and get a diagnosis or treatment for your glaucoma.

Book An Appointment

What Is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage your optic nerve and is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60. The health of your optic nerve is essential for good vision.

Glaucoma can develop when there is too much fluid pressure build-up inside your eye. This increase in eye pressure is referred to as intraocular pressure. This pressure can damage the optic nerve and result in a disruption of image transmission to your brain.

Risk factors associated with glaucoma include:

A family history of glaucoma
Being over the age of 60
Medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure
Previous eye injuries or surgeries

Neglecting the proper treatment with glaucoma can potentially lead to blindness. Our team wants to help ensure you have optimal vision for years to come. Managing glaucoma is crucial; the optic nerve affected by glaucoma plays an important role in carrying image information to your brain and providing sight.

Contact us today to book a comprehensive eye exam and manage your glaucoma.

Types of Glaucoma

Determining the type of glaucoma you’re dealing with can help our team prepare a treatment plan and better understand your vision situation.

There are 2 main types of glaucoma.

Open-Angle Glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma, also known as chronic glaucoma, is the most common glaucoma and has few signs or symptoms besides gradual vision loss. However, this loss of vision can be so gradual that you may suffer irreparable damage to your vision before any other signs are visible.

With open-angle glaucoma, the structures of your eyes may appear normal and functional, but fluid in your eye is not flowing properly, which can result in a blockage. This disruption in flow causes pressure in your eye to increase and damages the optic nerve slowly over time.

Angle-Closure Glaucoma

Angle-closure glaucoma is less common but can be more severe. This type of glaucoma occurs when the iris bulges forward to narrow or block the drainage angle that is formed by your cornea and iris. This blockage results in an inability for fluid to circulate through your eye and causes a sudden buildup of pressure.

The rapid buildup of angle-closure glaucoma can cause a severe and painful increase in pressure and qualifies as an emergency situation. If you’re experiencing symptoms such as severe pain, nausea, and blurred vision, get in contact with us immediately.

Catching Glaucoma Early

It’s essential to stay consistent with your eye exams to help keep on top of glaucoma. Early diagnosis can help us create a personalized treatment plan based on your needs.

Contact us today and begin your glaucoma management journey.

Book An Appointment