Glaucoma Specialist in Reading, PA

If you are looking for a highly skilled glaucoma specialist in Reading, PA, get in touch with Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania. Our board certified and fellowship-trained ophthalmologists have vast experience in all current glaucoma treatments and surgical procedures.

Our glaucoma specialists include Mehul H. Negarsheth, MD, who completed his glaucoma fellowship at Tufts New England Eye Center and Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston, and 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.”

Glaucoma Symptoms

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness worldwide and affects about one in 200 people who are age 50 and younger. For individuals over the age of 80, the number jumps to one in 10. The two most common forms of glaucoma are primary open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma.

Open-angle glaucoma: There are usually no warning signs or symptoms for this form of glaucoma. It progresses slowly and may not cause vision loss for many years, although some individuals notice a gradual loss of peripheral (side) vision, usually in both eyes. It is important to have regular eye exams to detect any vision changes or damage.

Angle-closure glaucoma: This rarer form of glaucoma develops rapidly. An acute attack may involve only one eye, but the symptoms are noticeable and may worsen over a few hours. They include:

  • Sudden blurred or hazy vision
  • Pain in or behind the eyeball
  • Headache with nausea or vomiting
  • Visual disturbances with halos or rainbows around light

If you experience any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention at an emergency room or at your ophthalmologist’s office. The symptoms do not necessarily mean that you have glaucoma, but they are signs of a potentially serious problem.

How is Glaucoma Detected?

There are a variety of diagnostic tools that help us detect whether or not you have glaucoma — even before you have any symptoms. They include:

  • Tonometry: Eye drops are used to numb the eye, then the doctor uses a tool called a tonometer to measure the pressure within your eye. The test is painless and quick.
  • Pachymetry: The pachymeter is a tool that measures central corneal thickness. Your doctor will numb your eyes and then use this small ultrasonic wave instrument to measure the thickness of your cornea. Recent studies have found that thin central corneas are a strong predictor of developing glaucoma in patients with high intraocular pressure.
  • Visual field test: This test measures your peripheral (side vision). It helps your doctor determine if you have lost any peripheral vision, one of the signs of glaucoma.
  • Ophthalmoscopy:Using an instrument called an ophthalmoscope, your eye doctor can look directly through the pupil at the optic nerve. Its color and appearance can indicate whether or not damage from glaucoma is present and how extensive it is.
  • Gonioscopy: Eye drops are used to numb the eye, then the doctor uses a diagnostic tool to determine if the angle between the iris and cornea is narrow and closed (a possible sign of angle-closure or acute glaucoma) or wide and open (a possible sign of open-angle, chronic glaucoma).

If you are in the Reading, PA area and need information about glaucoma diagnosis, treatment or surgery, contact Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania for an evaluation with a glaucoma specialist. Early diagnosis and treatment can minimize loss of vision before the glaucoma becomes too advanced.

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