Glaucoma Treatment From Our Austin Optometrist

 Austin Vision Center's experienced optometrists offer the quality eye and vision care you deserve.  Our team of Dr. Hutson, Dr. Pham, and Dr. Tomeff  have years of experience in serving patients in the local area. As part of our services, we offer diagnosis, treatment, and management of any number of eye diseases, including glaucoma.

Causes and Symptoms of Glaucoma

Specifically, glaucoma refers to a serious eye disease that occurs when excessive pressure builds up in one or both eyes. This pressure can be exerted on the optic nerve, which you need the function of in order to see properly. Over time, too much pressure on the optic nerve can lead to permanent vision loss, which is why glaucoma is so often referred to as the "silent thief of vision."  Glaucoma is most common in older adults, but it can occur to anybody at any time. Those with a family history of glaucoma are at a higher risk of developing the disease as well.

Unfortunately, glaucoma doesn't always show symptoms until it's too late and vision loss is permanent. However, in those who do experience symptoms of the disease, they typically include:

• sudden changes in vision
• difficulty seeing at night
• sharp, sudden eye pain

If you experience any signs of glaucoma, it is important that you see an eye doctor as soon as possible for evaluation. When diagnosed and treated early, it is possible to prevent long-term effects like vision loss and blindness.

Glaucoma Treatment and Care Options

Testing for glaucoma is relatively simple and involves the use of a special tool in our office that can take detailed pressed readings of each eye. If the pressure measures too high, we will know that glaucoma is the cause. If you come in for annual eye exams, we can also perform this screening as part of your routine exam. In fact, we highly recommend it as it can be used to diagnose and manage glaucoma before it begins to affect your vision.

The good news is that there are treatment options for glaucoma available from our optometrists.  Most cases of glaucoma respond quite well to topical (eyedrop) medications which reduce the amount of pressure in the eyes and preserve optic nerve health.  Occasionally, laser surgery may be required to adequately control eye pressure and in this case our doctors will refer you to a specialist for this evaluation and treatment. 

Request Your Appointment With Our Optometrist in Austin, Texas

If you're experiencing any concerns or symptoms of glaucoma, or if you haven't had a screening for glaucoma in the past year, now is the time to schedule your appointment with our optometrists at Austin Vision Center. You can reach Austin Vision Center by calling (512) 477-2282 to schedule your appointment or find out more about our services.