Glaucoma is a category of serious, potentially blinding, eye diseases commonly diagnosed and treated by your optometrist in Yakima. The most widespread type of glaucoma damages your optic nerve over time, causing vision loss that is so gradual that you may not notice it, early on. Since early diagnosis offers the best chance of protecting the optic nerve, and preserving your vision, be sure to see your Yakima optometrist annually. Even if you haven’t noticed vision changes, your optometrist in Yakima may detect glaucoma-related changes in your visual field or optic nerve asymmetry through advanced eye testing methods.
Glaucoma Symptoms & Types Treated by Your Yakima Optometrist
Glaucoma symptoms are brought on by increased pressure in the eye (intraocular pressure or IOP). This condition treated by your Yakima optometrist, causes deterioration of the optic nerve. Glaucoma eye diseases are classified according to whether damage occurs slowly, over time or happens suddenly:
- Open-angle glaucoma: The more common, gradual type, produces no symptoms other than slow vision loss, beginning with peripheral (side) vision.
- Narrow-angle glaucoma: The rare type, also called angle-closure glaucoma, occurs suddenly–and requires emergency treatment. Symptoms include: eye pain, headache, nausea and blurry vision and/or tunnel vision.
Risk Factors for Glaucoma
Glaucoma may occur in anyone, of any age, but is more common in these individuals:
- Over 40 years of age
- African-Americans, Hispanics, Japanese, Irish, Scandinavians, Russians or Inuits
- Genetically predisposed (family history of glaucoma)
- Diabetics
- People with poor eyesight and/or eye trauma
- Individuals on steroid medicines, like prednisone
Get glaucoma diagnosis and management, along with glaucoma treatment in Yakima, at your eye doctor. Your Yakima optometrist may detect the first changes to your vision or eye health, well before the condition becomes noticeable to you. In many cases, glaucoma treatment is then prescribed by your optometrist in Yakima. Your optometrist may refer certain glaucoma cases to an ophthalmologist for additional treatment or surgery.
Are you at risk for glaucoma? The eye disease can strike anyone, so be sure your entire family gets regular eye exams at your Yakima optometrist. Make an appointment with Yakima Vision Center to preserve your eye health! Call us today!