What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Glaucoma?
Are you concerned you may have glaucoma? Find out the signs and symptoms of the disease from the skilled eye care professionals at Elmquist Eye Group and what can be done to help prevent vision loss.
Elmquist Eye Group has been serving Southwest Florida, Cape Coral, and Fort Myers since 1992. We take great pride in providing everyone in the family with personalized care, offering extensive experience in the most up-to-date treatments for diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, macular edema, and other complications of diabetes.
Dr. Rodriguez is a board certified ophthalmologist and eye surgeon, and Drs. Wagner and Burt are skilled board certified optometrists. Your vision is in capable hands at Elmquist Eye Group.
Signs & Symptoms of Glaucoma
Glaucoma develops slowly and sometimes without any noticeable loss of vision for many years. The symptoms listed 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
Are You at Risk for Glaucoma?
The Glaucoma Research Foundation estimates that about 3 million Americans have glaucoma and many don’t know they have it.
High-risk groups for glaucoma include people over 60 years of age, African Americans (who are 15 times more likely to be visually impaired from glaucoma than Caucasians), those with a family history of glaucoma, people with diabetes, and people who are severely nearsighted. But babies and young people can develop glaucoma, too.
If you are diagnosed with glaucoma or have risk factors for the disease, your doctor may ask you to have certain tests, such as visual fields, optic nerve analysis through use of a scanning laser, gonioscopy to assess the drainage structure of the eye, optic nerve photos, and a corneal thickness measurement.
Early diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma can minimize vision loss before the disease becomes too advanced. Explore the signs and symptoms and learn what treatment options are available by calling the doctors at Elmquist Eye Group at (239) 936-2020 to schedule an appointment.