GLAUCOMA is a disease in which the optic nerve is damaged by high pressure inside the eye. Anyone can have glaucoma and is most common after the age of 40. It sometimes is hereditary, so family members of glaucoma patients should be examined.
Vision loss as a result of Glaucoma cannot be recovered but early diagnosis and treatment can prevent further vision loss. Usually no symptoms are present, so it can only be diagnosed by a full examination.
How is Glaucoma detected?
Here at Tongaat Eye centre we are fully equipped to do a thorough screening and it is as follows:
1. Dilated fundus examination
2. Visual Fields Test
3. OCT - high resolution scan of optic nerve and retina.
4. Tonometry - to measure the Intraocular pressure in the eye.
Once the diagnosis is made the primary treatment are drops to reduce the intraocular pressure. If vision loss occurs even after regular use of drops, laser treatment or surgery may be required.
