Glaucoma Treatment
Glaucoma is a serious eye disease that can lead to vision loss if not controlled. If you would like to know more about glaucoma treatment options in Cape Coral and 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.
E. Trevor Elmquist, DO, is a board certified ophthalmologist who specializes in general ophthalmology and cataract surgery and has been selected as one of America’s Top Doctors in ophthalmology. His partner, Kate Wagner, OD, and associate, Nina Burt, OD, are skilled board certified optometrists with extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and other eye diseases and conditions.
About Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes vision loss by damaging a part of the eye called the optic nerve. A healthy optic nerve is essential because it carries information from the eyes to the brain.
A natural fluid in the eye, called aqueous humor, is produced constantly to nourish the front of the eye between the lens and the cornea. This fluid helps to maintain a healthy level of pressure inside the eye and flows out through a microscopic drainage system.
If the drainage system (called the drainage angle) becomes blocked, partially or completely, and is unable to drain properly, pressure within the eye can build up and push against the tiny fibers of the optic nerve. When this happens, you begin to lose parts of your vision, usually starting with peripheral (side) vision. As the disease progresses, it may also damage your central vision.
According to the National Eye Institute, nearly half of the people who have glaucoma are not aware that 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. This means that comprehensive eye exams are extremely important.
Although you are more likely to have or develop glaucoma if your eye pressures are high, many people with high eye pressures never develop the disease. And some people with glaucoma have normal eye pressures.
Diagnosing glaucoma is not always simple, and careful evaluation of the optic nerve is essential for diagnosis and treatment. At Elmquist Eye Group, we will look at many factors before making decisions about the severity of your glaucoma and treatment.
Glaucoma Treatment
Each person’s eyes are unique, and the best course of treatment for glaucoma will depend upon the nature and severity of the disease. Although glaucoma cannot be cured, when detected and treated at an early stage, its progress can often be slowed.
Glaucoma can usually be treated and controlled using eye drops, medication(s), laser surgery, conventional surgery or a combination of these treatments, to prevent damage to the optic nerve from occurring.
Although eye drops are often the first step in glaucoma treatment, laser surgery may be equally effective. After a complete examination, Dr. Elmquist, Dr. Wagner, or Dr. Burt will discuss treatment options with you.
If you have been diagnosed with glaucoma or have risk factors for the disease and are interested in glaucoma diagnosis or treatment, Elmquist Eye Group can help. Call us today at (239) 936-2020 to schedule an appointment.