Glaucoma gradually steals your peripheral vision through damage to the optic nerve. There's no pain or other symptoms, and most patients don't even know they have the disease until they've lost a significant part of their vision.
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness around the world. There's no cure and once the damage is done, it can't be reversed – but there are medications that can slow down its progress. Ophthalmologists can detect and treat glaucoma before most patients experience any vision loss, which is why it's so crucial that people over 40 have their eyes checked regularly.
Our Glaucoma Clinic is part of the
Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute. We treat more than 5,000 patients a year with the latest technology in optic nerve imaging and visual fields. We have special expertise in laser treatments and surgical techniques, including the use of glaucoma drainage devices such as the Ahmed Glaucoma Valve.
Types of Glaucoma
Primary open-angle glaucoma
This is a common type that gradually reduces your peripheral vision without other symptoms. By the time you notice it, permanent damage has already occurred.
Angle-closure glaucoma
This produces sudden symptoms, such as eye pain, headaches, halos around lights, dilated pupils, vision loss, red eyes, nausea and vomiting.
Normal-tension glaucoma
This type can cause visual field loss due to optic nerve damage.
Pigmentary glaucoma
This is a rare form caused by clogging of the drainage angle of the eye thanks to pigment that has broken loose from the iris, cutting down the fluid outflow from the eye.
Secondary glaucoma
After an eye injury, symptoms may show this form of the disease, which can also develop with the presence of eye infection, inflammation, a tumour or enlargement of the lens due to a cataract.
Congenital glaucoma
This is an inherited form present at birth. Most cases are diagnosed by age one.
Treatment for Glaucoma
Most cases of glaucoma can be controlled with one or more drugs. But some people may require surgery to reduce their intraocular pressure (fluid pressure in the eye) further to a safe level by improving the outflow or drainage of fluids.
Surgery can occasionally eliminate the need for glaucoma eye drops, but you may need to continue with eye drops even after having glaucoma surgery.
How to Prepare
Learn more about
what you can expect when you have a clinic appointment.
