What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve. This damage is often caused by abnormally high pressure in your eye. The pressure inside your eye may increase if fluids build up faster than they drain.
Glaucoma is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in adults over age 60. Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs, so you may not notice vision changes until the disease has reached its advanced stages.
What are the different types of glaucoma?
The team at the Retinal Ambulatory Surgery Center of New York treats all types of glaucoma, including:
Open-angle glaucoma
This is the most common form of glaucoma, accounting for about 90% of cases. Open-angle glaucoma causes a gradual increase in ocular pressure due to clogged drainage canals in your eye.
Angle-closure glaucoma
This type occurs when the drainage angle in your eye becomes narrowed or blocked. When angle-closure glaucoma occurs suddenly (acute angle-closure glaucoma), it’s considered a medical emergency.
Normal-tension glaucoma
Normal-tension glaucoma involves optic nerve damage without increased eye pressure. This may be due to poor blood flow to the optic nerve.
How is glaucoma treated?
Glaucoma treatment varies depending on the type and severity of your condition. The experts at the Retinal Ambulatory Surgery Center of New York carefully evaluate your eyes before recommending the best procedure for your specific needs.
They perform leading-edge glaucoma treatments, including:
- Selective laser trabeculoplasty, which uses a laser beam to improve fluid drainage
- Laser peripheral iridotomy, which treats glaucoma caused by a pupillary block
- Trabeculectomy, which involves making a small hole in the white of the eye to reduce pressure
- Goniotomy, a minimally invasive procedure that creates an opening in the drainage angle
- iStent inject®, which involves implanting small drainage tubes to improve fluid flow
- Cyclophotocoagulation, which uses laser therapy to decrease fluid production in the eye
In some cases, you may need to return for follow-up procedures or continue taking glaucoma medication to control your eye pressure.
To learn more about glaucoma treatment, call the Retinal Ambulatory Surgery Center of New York today at 212-772-6830.
