Glaucoma Specialist Fort Myers
If you are looking for a highly skilled glaucoma specialist in Fort Myers, Elmquist Eye Group can help.
Elmquist Eye Group has served families in Lee County and throughout Southwest Florida since 1992. We are proud to offer a unique blend of expert eye care and a passion for providing the best service to our patients.
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve is responsible for carrying signals from the eye to the brain so we can see.
According to The Glaucoma Foundation, about 3 million Americans have glaucoma and many don’t even know they have it. Once damaged, the optic nerve cannot be repaired, making glaucoma the second leading cause of blindness in the United States.
The two most common forms of the diseases are primary open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma.
- Open-angle glaucoma: Open-angle glaucoma occurs mainly in individuals over the age of 50 and affects about one percent of all Americans. It usually progresses slowly and painlessly, without any symptoms or warning signs. As much as 40% of vision can be lost before an individual begins to notice a problem.
- Angle-closure glaucoma: Angle-closure glaucoma is a much rarer form of glaucoma, but it develops rapidly and can cause blindness in the affected eye if not treated promptly. Symptoms include:
- Headache or head pain
- Sudden severe eye pain
- Nausea or vomiting (along with the pain)
- Sudden loss of vision in one eye
- Sudden blurred or hazy vision
- Halos around lights
- Redness of the eye
These symptoms do not necessarily mean that you have angle-closure glaucoma, but are the warning signs of a potentially serious problem.
How is glaucoma treated?
The goal of glaucoma treatment is to lower intraocular pressure (IOP) and stop the damage to the optic nerve, which carries visual information to your brain for processing.
Glaucoma can be treated with eye drops, oral medications, laser surgery, traditional surgery, such as trabeculectomy, or a combination of these methods. Recent advances in laser therapy have made the procedure so safe and effective that, for some patients, laser therapy is used instead of medications.
The type of treatment or surgery your doctor recommends will depend on the type and severity of your glaucoma and the general health of your eyes.
Diagnosis is the first step toward preserving your vision. For a highly qualified glaucoma specialist in Fort Myers, call Elmquist Eye Group at (239) 936-2020 to schedule an appointment.