Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the United States, especially for the older population. According to the National Eye Institute, as many as half of all glaucoma sufferers in the United States have the disease and do not know it. Glaucoma can be detected by a regular eye examination and loss of sight can often be prevented with early treatment.

Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve. The optic nerve is made up of many nerve fibers and carries the images we see to the brain. When damage to the optic nerve occurs, blind spots develop. These blind spots usually go undetected until the optic nerve has significant damage. Blindness results when the entire optic nerve is destroyed.

The only way to surely detect glaucoma is to have a complete eye examination which can include testing of peripheral vision for each eye and Optical Coherence Test (OCT). The OCT is a state-of-the-art technology that allows the doctor to determine any damage to the optic nerve as a result of glaucoma.