If you have glaucoma and are wondering, “Is there glaucoma treatment near me?”, Elmquist Eye Group is here for all your eye care needs in Fort Myers and Cape Coral.
We are Southwest Florida’s leading ophthalmology practice. Our board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians treat glaucoma and other eye diseases. Our doctors are trained on the latest glaucoma treatments and surgical procedures. We have minimized the irreversible effects of the disease for thousands of patients.
What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma patients suffer an increase in the eye’s internal eye pressure; over time, that pressure causes loss of sight. There are two common forms of glaucoma: primary open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma.
Open-angle glaucoma usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and takes several years to progress to the point where patients notice any significant vision loss. Regular eye exams are the only way for our doctors to detect the optic nerve damage that is the main indicator of the disease.
Angle-closure glaucoma develops much more quickly and is much rarer. There is a rapid onset of symptoms like sudden severe eye pain, headache and vomiting. If you experience a sudden onset of any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention at your nearest emergency room.
Glaucoma Treatment
Regular eye exams are the best way to detect glaucoma. If our doctors detect the disease, we will determine how far your glaucoma has progressed. Several additional factors help us determine the best course of treatment: other health conditions, age, ethnicity and lifestyle factors.
Rest assured that our expert eye doctors will find the right glaucoma treatment for you, whether that be prescription eye drops, medications or surgery.
Medications can treat early open-angle glaucoma, and laser surgery is effective when the disease is in its later stages. Laser surgery involves use of a laser beam to create small opening to change the eye’s natural drainage system. These openings allow the eye’s fluid to more easily flow, creating better drainage and reducing the eye’s internal (intraocular) pressure.
Sometimes glaucoma has progressed to a stage where the laser technique will not adequately reduce pressure. In these cases, the doctor will likely perform a more conventional surgery known as trabeculectomy.
Trabeculectomy, also known as filtration surgery, is often used to treat both open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma. The surgeon creates a passageway in the white tissue of the eye (sclera). This passageway creates a new drainage path for the excess eye fluid to better flow. Eye pressure is thus reduced.
Come See Us
If you are a patient in southwest Florida and you have a glaucoma diagnosis, regular eye care is extremely important. Don’t wait for your disease to worsen and lead to blindness. Come see us at Elmquist Eye Group for treatment near you. Early diagnosis and treatment are key to minimizing the vision loss that results from glaucoma.