Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease where the pressure in the eye is too high and causes damage to the optic nerve.  Over time, this can cause loss of vision.  It can lead to blindness. 

Open Angle Glaucoma

Glaucoma is divided into two categories.  Open angle glaucoma is the more common type.  It tends to cause slow, progressive vision loss.  It is treated with medications as well as laser in the office.  If the disease continues to progress or the pressure can’t be controlled with medications, patients may require surgery. <please make surgery a hyperlink to glaucoma surgery page.> These surgeries may be done at the time of cataract surgery or as stand alone procedures.

Often, open angle glaucoma has no symptoms, so it is important for patients to periodically have their pressure checked. Risk factors for open angle glaucoma include age, African ancestry, family history of glaucoma, previous history of eye injury or surgery, and those with other health problems such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

SLT

SLT is a laser that can be used to supplement medications in the treatment of glaucoma. This is a laser that is applied to the drainage system of the eye. It does not damage the structures of the eye.  This way, it doesn’t interfere with the success of future surgeries. It is repeatable if pressures start to drift up and may delay the need for additional interventions in patients. It is performed in the office and takes less than five minutes to complete. 

Narrow/Closed Angle Glaucoma

Narrow or closed angle glaucoma is a disease process where the drainage system in the eye can become completely blocked leading to a rapid build up in pressure. Patients are generally symptomatic.  They may have blurred vision, pain, headaches, nausea, and vomiting. If not treated quickly, closed angle glaucoma can rapidly progress to complete blindness. Sometimes, patients will be treated with a laser procedure to help prevent angle closure.

LPI

Treatment of narrow or closed angle glaucoma involves creating a hole in the iris utilizing a laser.  This creates a ‘trap door’ to allow fluid to move between the front and back parts of the eye. Laser iridotomy is performed in the office and takes less than five minutes to complete. There will generally be a follow up appointment to ensure the treatment was successful.