Dr. Stolte of Stolte Eye Center located in Spring Hill Florida is an ophthalmologist specializing in glaucoma treatment. Please contact our office to schedule your evaluation.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is often called “the silent thief of the site” because it affects the peripheral vision, and because it progresses slowly. It is a disease which affects the health of the optic nerve and it is typically painless and unforeseeable at first. The causes of glaucoma are unknown. New research suggests that a slow progression stroke is one of the possible causes. The increased IOP (intraocular pressure) is a risk factor, but not usually not the cause and it leads to irreversible loss of vision. Glaucoma can occur in all ages, but it is most common in adults over 60 years of age.

What are the risk factors?

• Age
  
• Race
• Family history
• Diabetes
• Myopia
• Elevated IOP

Types of glaucoma

There are two types of glaucoma, open angle glaucoma, and a closed angle glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma is the most common type, accounting for almost 90% of glaucoma cases. In open-angle glaucoma, the space where cornea and iris meet does have enough angle, for the eye’s natural drainage system(trabecular meshwork) to allow the fluid in your eye (vitreous) to drain properly, but the trabecular meshwork becomes clogged over time, and it does not allow the vitreous to drain out, causing the IOP to elevate, and as a result, it damages the optic nerve.

Closed-angle glaucoma

Unlike open-angle glaucoma, the fluid in your eye (vitreous) cannot drain because the angle between the cornea and the iris is closed blocking the trabecular meshwork, and as a result the fluid cannot be drained, causing the IOP to elevate, damaging the optic nerve as a result. Closed angle-glaucoma is not as common as open-angle glaucoma.

Detection and testing

Early detection of glaucoma is very important, and the sooner it is detected the better. A series of tests are used to either confirm or rule out if the suspected patient has glaucoma.

• Intraocular pressure test – Tonometry
  
• Optic nerve evaluation - photos and blood flow
  
• Electronic diagnostic testing - ERG/VEP, Visual Field

Treatment

There are few treatment options for glaucoma. The goal of glaucoma treatment is to prevent further vision loss because the vision loss caused by glaucoma is irreversible.  Glaucoma can be treated with eye drops, laser surgery, oral medication, traditional surgery or a combination of these methods.

Stolte Eye Center