Glaucoma Doctors Near Me
If you believe you may have glaucoma, schedule an appointment today with the skilled eye doctors near you at Elmquist Eye Group in Fort Myers or Cape Coral.
Elmquist Eye Group has served Southwest Florida for more than 25 years, providing a complete range of services, from routine eye exams for glasses to bladeless laser-assisted cataract surgery and glaucoma laser surgery.
Warning Signs of Glaucoma
Glaucoma develops slowly and sometimes without any noticeable loss of vision for many years. The symptoms described below may not necessarily mean you have glaucoma, but you should seek immediate care at Elmquist Eye Group if you notice one or more of them:
- Patchy blind spots in your side (peripheral) vision, often in both eyes
- Dark spot at the center of viewing
- Hazy or blurred vision
- Lines and edges appear distorted or wavy
- Unusual trouble adjusting to dark rooms
- Difficulty focusing on near or far objects
- Recurring pain in or around eyes
- Rainbow-colored circles around bright lights
- Severe headache
- Excess tearing or “watery eyes”
- Sudden loss of vision in one eye
How We Detect Glaucoma
According to the National Eye Institute, nearly half of the people who have glaucoma are not aware they have it. By the time it is diagnosed, they may have lost a great deal of their eyesight. Eyesight that is lost to glaucoma cannot be restored.
At Elmquist Eye Group, we will measure your eye pressure (tonometry); inspect the drainage angle of your eye (gonioscopy); evaluate your optic nerve; and test the visual field of each eye. People at higher risk for glaucoma should get a complete eye exam, including eye dilation, every one or two years. The information from these tests is analyzed by the doctor to determine the diagnosis, severity, and course of treatment.
Comprehensive dilated eye exams are extremely important in detecting glaucoma before it damages your vision. When detected and treated at an early stage, glaucoma can be controlled.
Glaucoma Treatment
For most people, eye drops are the primary treatment to help reduce the pressure inside your eye. Sometimes, oral medications are also prescribed. When medications are not enough to keep the intraocular pressure under control, laser surgery or surgery in the operating room may be needed to help promote proper drainage and prevent fluid and pressure from building up. After a complete examination, we will discuss treatment options with you.
Glaucoma evaluation is the first step toward preserving your vision. Make an appointment today with glaucoma doctors near you at Elmquist Eye Group. Get in touch with us at (239) 936-2020 to find out more about the disease and the available treatment options.