Early glaucoma diagnosis

Seeing your eye doctor on a regular basis is the best way to find out if you have high eye pressure or glaucoma. Finding out early that you have high eye pressure, getting proper treatment, and listening to your eye doctor are the best ways to prevent loss of eyesight caused by the most common type of glaucoma, primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Are cataracts and glaucoma related?

Many individuals, typically over the age of 60, are diagnosed with cataracts-the clouding of the lens in the eye. Trauma to the eye or certain medications may lead to glaucoma or cataracts. It is important to be well informed of the possible side effects of medications. Although some patients have both cataracts and glaucoma, having glaucoma does not necessarily mean that you will get cataracts and having cataracts does not necessarily mean that you will get glaucoma.

Glaucoma eye exams

A glaucoma eye exam provides important information to your eye doctor about the health of your eyes. It is often part of a routine eye exam and is painless.

During a glaucoma eye exam, you will have:

• A visual field defect exam
  • Your eye doctor will ask you to find and identify images on a closed-in monitor screen. This allows your eye doctor to determine what you can see in your direct and peripheral vision and if there are any areas of blindness.
• A scan of your optic nerve
  • Your eye doctor will give you eye drops that make your pupils larger and ask you to look into a diagnostic machine that allows your doctor to see your optic nerve. Some eye doctors use a machine that takes pictures of your optic nerve and other structures of your eye. This allows your eye doctor to see if your optic nerve is healthy or damaged.
• Your eye pressure measured
  • Your eye doctor will give you eye drops that will numb your eyes. A tonometry test using an air puff or touch measuring device will measure your eye pressure.
• The thickness of your cornea measured

Preparing for your eye exam

Ask your eye doctor or his or her office staff if there are any special preparations you should make for the appointment.  Usually, it is recommended to have someone drive you to and from your eye exam appointment, as you may have blurry eyesight for several hours after the eye exam.