Glaucoma

Over 15 years experience treating Glaucoma

About Our Glaucoma Services

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a multi-factorial, complex eye disease with specific characteristics such as optic nerve damage and visual field loss. While people with glaucoma usually have abnormal high eye pressure, patients with normal range of eye pressures can also develop glaucoma. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States. It is often called the “sneak thief of sight”. People with glaucoma often have have no pain or visual symptoms and in the early stages it is very hard to recognize. It affects between 2 and 3 million Americans each year. Many of those affected do not even know they have glaucoma.

It is important to have regular, routine eye exams so that glaucoma can be diagnosed and treated before long-term visual loss occurs. If it is detected early enough, the progress of the disease can be halted with eye drops and/or with surgical options. At Auker Eye Institute, we provide comprehensive eye examinations to monitor eye diseases such as glaucoma so proper treatment can be delivered and vision loss can be avoided. Contact us for a glaucoma evaluation here.

Glaucoma Risk Factors

Increased eye pressure is the most important risk factor for the development and progression of glaucoma. There are many other risk factors such as:

Family History
Diabetes and related diabetes eye conditions
High levels of myopia
Previous trauma to the eye
Steroid use
Ethnic Background such as African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians
People over age of 60

That is why early diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma is the key to preventing vision loss.

What are the signs and types of glaucoma

The symptoms of glaucoma can be different for each form but in most cases people are not aware until significant damage has been done. Most of this damage does occur to the optic nerve.

Open-Angle Glaucoma:

Open-angle glaucoma is also called primary or chronic glaucoma. This is the most common type of glaucoma in America.

Is caused by the slow clogging of the drainage canals called trabecular meshwork, resulting in increased eye pressure
Has a wide and open angle between the iris and cornea
Develops slowly and is a lifelong condition
Has symptoms and damage that are not noticed
It causes gradual loss of peripheral vision

Angle-Closure Glaucoma:

Angle-closure glaucoma is also called acute glaucoma or narrow-angle glaucoma. It is less common in the West than in Asia.

Is caused by blocked drainage canals, resulting in a sudden rise in intraocular pressure
Has a closed or narrow angle between the iris and cornea
Develops very quickly
Has symptoms and damage that are usually very noticeable
Demands immediate medical attention
The symptoms are: Decreased vision, cloudy vision, sudden, severe pain, usually in one eye, eye feels swollen, red eyes, halos around lights, nausea and vomiting.

Treating Glaucoma?

There is no cure for glaucoma. Treating glaucoma involves lowering eye pressure which can prevent or limit vision loss. Treatments include more frequent eye exams, medicines and procedures. Medicines to treat glaucoma include eyedrops and pills to lower eye pressure or reduce the amount of fluid the eye makes.

A surgical laser procedure is also an option. This new technology has been clinically proven to help reduce intra-ocular pressure in many patients with glaucoma. This laser treatment can also help reduce the need and expense of medication in some patients.

Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT)

Laser surgery has become increasingly popular as an intermediate step between medications and traditional glaucoma filtration surgery. Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a relatively new laser treatment for open-angle glaucoma. SLT uses short pulses of low energy laser light to target melanin-containing cells in a network of tiny channels, called the trabecular meshwork. The objective of the surgery is to help fluids drain out of the eye, reducing intra-ocular pressure that can cause damage to the optic nerve and loss of vision.

Although Dr. Auker may suggest laser surgery at any time, it is often performed after trying to control intra-ocular pressure with medicines. In many cases, you will need to keep taking glaucoma drugs even after laser surgery.

What to expect on the day of the procedure:

Your treatment will be performed in a specially equipped laser room. It does not require a surgery center. Once you have been checked in and settled comfortably, drops will be used to numb your eye; no injections or needles are used. When your eye is completely numb, an eyelid holder will be placed between your eyelids to keep you from blinking.

Dr. Auker will hold up a special lens to your eye as a high-peak power beam of green light is aimed at the lens and reflected onto the meshwork inside your eye. You may see flashes of bright green or red light. The laser will selectively target melanin-containing cells, resulting in increased fluid outflow. You will not feel any pain during the procedure. It takes 10-20 minutes.

Your eye pressure will be checked shortly after your procedure and drops may be prescribed to alleviate any soreness or swelling inside the eye. You should relax for the rest of the day. Follow-up visits are necessary to monitor your eye pressure. While it may take a few weeks to see the full pressure-lowering effect of this procedure, during which time you may have to continue taking your medication, many patients are eventually able to discontinue some of their medications. Most patients resume activities within a few days.

If you would like more information about this procedure, you can make an appointment or contact the office for additional information.

We’re conveniently located near Dublin, Hayward and Pleasanton, California.

Schedule A Glaucoma Appointment

Our Mission

“To deliver the highest standard of care possible while providing the best clinical judgment, surgical skills and quality outcomes available anywhere.”