Remember Glaucoma Eye Exams & Screenings

With January being designated at Glaucoma Awareness Month we wanted to ask patients to remember the importance of having regular glaucoma eye examsand screenings. With Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG), the most common type of glaucoma we see at Doctor & Associates-there are no symptoms! Thus, the importance of early detection, diagnosis and treatment are the keys to preventing vision loss from this type of glaucoma.

Glaucoma Eye Exams

Eye exams for glaucoma should begin by checking your visual acuity with and without your eyeglasses or contact lenses. Then, the tonometry test should be performed. This is a method of measuring your Intraocular Pressure (IOP) and gives us the first piece of important information in determining whether you might have glaucoma. Ophthalmoscopy is another examination procedure used to detect and diagnose glaucoma. Ophthalmoscopy is a method of carefully examining the inside of the eye-especially the optic nerve-in order to detect glaucoma. We might also perform a high magnification contact lens exam to look at the optic nerve. It is necessary to have some eye drops placed in your eyes in order to dilate your pupils so that the doctors can make a clear and direct observation of the optic nerve by either examination technique.

Glaucoma Testing

If either the Intraocular Pressure (IOP) is elevated or the optic nerve appears unusual, additional tests will be necessary in order to complete the glaucoma examination. These may include Visual Field Perimetry, Gonioscopy, Optic Nerve Computer Imaging and Pachymetry. Should you need any of these tests we explain them fully to you and answer your questions so that you understand how they allow us to detect and diagnose glaucoma. 

If you are under 40 years of age and do not have any family history or risk factors, then having a glaucoma eye examination every two years should be sufficient. If you have ocular hypertension or any glaucoma risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, vascular diseases, sleep apnea, early menopause, a family history of glaucoma-especially a sibling-or are over 40-particularly if you are of African-American or Hispanic descent, then a glaucoma eye exam each year is recommended. 

If you or someone you know has questions or concerns about glaucoma, glaucoma risks or needs to schedule a glaucoma eye exam, please call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County or facebook.com/doctorandassociates to schedule an appointment. Doctor & Associates offices are located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.