Glaucoma Specialist in Annville, PA

If you are looking for a highly skilled glaucoma specialist in Annville, PA, consider Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania. We are the leading ophthalmology practice in the region and have offices in Lebanon, Reading (Wyomissing), Pottsville, Pottstown and Blandon.

Our board certified and fellowship trained ophthalmologists at Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania have vast experience in all current glaucoma treatments and surgical procedures and have helped thousands of people minimize the irreversible effects of the disease.

In the Lebanon office, our highly skilled team is led by Abhishek K. Nemani, MD, who completed his glaucoma fellowship at the prestigious Scheie Eye Institute at the University of Pennsylvania where he was awarded “Fellow of the Year.”

About Glaucoma

The eyes are nourished by a clear fluid (called aqueous humor) that circulates inside and is constantly returned to the blood stream by what is called the trabecular meshwork, or the eye’s drainage canals. The ongoing production, circulation and drainage of this fluid are required in order to maintain healthy eyes.

When something goes wrong with the drainage canal and the fluid is unable to leave the eye as fast as it is produced, pressure inside the eye begins to build. This excess pressure pushes against the delicate optic nerve. If the pressure stays too high for too long, permanent vision loss can occur. This is glaucoma.

The two most common forms of glaucoma are primary open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma.

Glaucoma Treatment

If your ophthalmologist determines that you have glaucoma, he or she may recommend prescription eye drops, pills, laser surgery, or another type of conventional surgery.   Every patient is unique, so it’s important to work with your eye doctor to find the treatment that best meets your needs.

Eye Drops & Medications: Glaucoma eye drops can help control your eye pressure if taken exactly as instructed. When eye drops alone fail to reduce eye pressure, your doctor may also prescribe pills. The eye drops and medications are absorbed into your bloodstream.

Surgery: Glaucoma surgery can be used to treat open-angle glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma. Although conventional surgery is often the first choice for closed-angle glaucoma, open-angle glaucoma is usually treated first with medication or laser surgery.

• Laser Surgery: The laser beam is used to make small changes in the eye’s drainage system to allow fluid to flow more easily and reduce intraocular pressure. If the pressure is not adequately reduced or begins to rise again, your doctor may recommend conventional surgery.
• Trabeculectomy: The most common conventional surgery is a trabeculectomy, sometimes called filtration surgery, which is used in both open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma. The surgeon creates a passage in the white part of the eye (the sclera) to give excess eye fluid a new place to drain.

There are other glaucoma surgeries and promising developments in other forms of treatment. If you have glaucoma, discuss the alternatives with your doctor.

Glaucoma is called the “silent thief of sight” because many patients don’t know they have it until significant vision has been permanently lost. Don’t wait for symptoms to occur before visiting a glaucoma specialist near Annville, PA. Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania is the leading ophthalmology practice in Lebanon, Berks, Lancaster, Montgomery and Schuylkill counties.