When it comes to treating glaucoma and preventing blindness, early detection is key. With more than 20 years of ophthalmology experience, Jose Mayans, MD, provides the highest quality eye care and glaucoma treatments available in his friendly Odessa, Texas, clinic. Learn how regular eye exams help diagnose glaucoma early. Call Jose Mayans, MD, or schedule an appointment online today.
Glaucoma describes several serious eye diseases that can cause complete vision loss.
In a healthy eye, you have a small amount of clear liquid that’s continually made and drained in the front of your eye to maintain pressure. When you have glaucoma, this fluid can build up and exert pressure on your optic nerve. Without treatment, this pressure can cause damage and lead to blindness.
While it can occur at any age, glaucoma is the main cause of blindness for men and women over 60.
There are two common forms of glaucoma.
This type of glaucoma develops slowly when your eye doesn’t properly drain. Over time, pressure on your optic nerve slowly grows, but you don’t immediately have symptoms.
Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma. Dr. Mayans can detect it early through regular eye exams.
Also known as closed-angle glaucoma and neuro-angle glaucoma, this condition occurs when you have completely blocked drainage canals, and pressure on your optic nerve rises rapidly.
Angle-closure glaucoma is an eye emergency requiring immediate attention to reduce your chances of serious complications, like blindness.
Glaucoma doesn’t always have symptoms, but when they’re present they might include:
Whenever you experience changes in your eyes and vision, it’s important to contact Dr. Mayans as quickly as possible.
Your chances of having glaucoma significantly increase after you turn 60. Additional risk factors include:
Your risk of developing glaucoma also increases if you have a family history of the disease or are Asian, Hispanic, or African-American.
Early detection is vital to treating glaucoma and preventing blindness. Dr. Mayans diagnoses glaucoma during a comprehensive eye exam. Based on his findings, Dr. Mayans might recommend a variety of treatments, including:
Call Jose Mayans, MD, or schedule an appointment online today to learn more about glaucoma treatment.