Find Glaucoma Specialist Near Reading, PA

If you’ve researched glaucoma, you know that it occurs when the internal eye pressure increases and damages the optic nerve. If you have a family history, or are just concerned about your eyes in general, you probably have thought to find a glaucoma specialist. Residents near Reading PA come to Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania in nearby Blandon.

Symptoms

Glaucoma is a silent disease. Most people don’t even know they have glaucoma. The disease often develops over several years without any notable symptoms. Glaucoma is quite common; there are over three million annual cases in the US.

As glaucoma progresses, many of our patients report a loss of peripheral vision, or they may see halos around lights, particularly at night. Other signs that something might be wrong include eye pain, headache and tunnel vision.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Our eye specialists perform a comprehensive eye exam to diagnose glaucoma. They may also include eye imaging and lab tests, all of which are designed to examine the eye structures to look for signs of optic nerve damage.

There is no cure for glaucoma, but it can be effectively managed and treated with treatments that reduce the inner eye pressure (intraocular pressure). For example, we can prescribe eye drop medications to reduce the eye pressure, and other medications to help fluid more easily flow from the eye, resulting in reduced pressure.

We have surgical methods to treat the more advanced cases of glaucoma. Our surgeons use laser surgery techniques as well as microsurgery options. These procedures facilitate better drainage of the internal eye fluid to reduce pressure. When a person has glaucoma, fluid buildup often occurs inside the eye’s drainage passageway (trabecular meshwork). As the fluid builds up, the eye cannot properly drain. Surgery alleviates the fluid building, thus reducing pressure. These techniques are quite effective and in some cases can reduce the internal eye pressure by 30 percent. The good news is that these surgical results often last five years.

Risk Factors

Anyone can develop glaucoma, but certain people are at higher risk. Patients of Asian, African, or Hispanic descent are at higher risk. Age is a factor, and people over age 60 are also at higher risk, as are individuals with a family history of glaucoma. People with high levels of either nearsightedness or farsightedness also have a higher risk. Diabetic patients and patients who take certain medications, such as calcium channel blockers to treat high blood pressure, are also at higher risk.

Come see us

If you are in one or more of these high-risk categories, or if it has simply been a while since your last eye checkup, come see us. Make an appointment with Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania today to find a glaucoma specialist near Reading PA. We have an office close by in Blandon, but also have several other convenient locations. Don’t wait. Glaucoma is a silent disease, and undetected and untreated, it causes significant optic nerve damage. Call us at 610-378-8500 or schedule an online appointment. We hope to see you soon.