January is Glaucoma Month: Local Eye Care Specialists explain risks and treatment options for glaucoma

Glaucoma is a condition in which fluid pressure in the eye is too high for the health of the optic nerve. Left untreated, it first causes loss of side vision and later possibly all sight. The most common type is painless and progresses so slowly that most people don't notice symptoms for years—until severe permanent damage has occurred. What’s the best protection? The partners at Eye Care Specialists, one of the state’s leading ophthalmology practices, provide the following information.

Get tested on a regular basis
Daniel Ferguson, MD, an eye surgeon who performs advanced drainage implant procedures to alleviate glaucoma-related eye pressure, advises, “Since glaucoma and other sight-threatening conditions often don’t exhibit early symptoms, regular eye exams are important for anyone past age 40.” Ferguson notes that a thorough examination for glaucoma should include the following:

Ophthalmoscopy: An instrument called an “ophthalmoscope” is used to look into and light up the back of the eye to check the health of the retina and look for signs of glaucoma (like abnormal optic nerve size and loss of pink coloring). For the best view inside, the pupils are dilated.

Tonometry (Pressure) Testing: Measures inner eye pressure by determining how much
pressure is necessary to cause a slight indentation on the outer part of the eye. This is done either
by directing a warm puff of air at the eye or painlessly touching it with what is called a “tonometer.” Normal pressure readings range from 12-21, but can vary by hour and day.

Visual Field Testing: During this test, the patient stares into a machine and presses a
button when they see flashes of light. A computer then plots a computerized “map” of the range
of sight based on what areas have been lost. Loss of side vision is a common sign of glaucoma.

Gonioscopy: A special hand-held contact lens with a mirror inside is used to examine the angle where the iris meets the cornea. This helps determine the type of glaucoma and treatment plan.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Testing: Eye Care Specialists joins Harvard Medical School and other prestigious institutions in offering this advancement. Patients focus on a dot while a safe, invisible laser light scans the inside of the eye. The OCT then creates detailed printouts (similar to CT scans) that visualize and measure any changes to the optic nerve and retina (an area smaller than the head of a pin)—often before damage occurs. If glaucoma is detected, we can treat it with drops, laser therapy or surgery. Follow-up scans are used to watch for changes and prevent future vision loss. Staff and patients love that the OCT is fast and painless and results aren’t influenced by attention span, comfort, or ability to follow directions.

Know the risks for getting and having glaucoma
Head of Ophthalmology at Aurora Sinai Medical Center and partner at Eye Care Specialists private practice, Dr. Brett Rhode highlights the following glaucoma-related risks:

q Glaucoma is most common in adults over age 40, and the risk increases with each decade. Regular screenings should start at this time.
q If you have a sibling or parent with glaucoma, your risk of developing the disease increases 5 to 10 times. As such, children and siblings of glaucoma patients should have their eyes checked every 1-2 years. (Even if initial results are normal, glaucoma can often develop over time.)
q Ethnicity affects your risk rate. If you are black, you have a 6-8 times higher risk of going blind from glaucoma than a white person. Hispanics and Asians also have a higher risk rate than Caucasians.
q Having diabetes doubles the risk of developing glaucoma.
q According to one study, glaucoma patients 50 and older were three times as likely to have experienced a fall in the previous year and six times as likely to have been involved in a car accident in the previous five years as were members of control groups. They were also more likely to be at fault when a collision did occur. Why? Glaucoma can damage the optic nerve, which may lead to potentially dangerous narrowing of the visual field or "tunnel vision."

Prompt diagnosis and treatment are vital to protecting and preserving vision. Encourage your siblings and other family members to be checked for glaucoma, especially if one of you has the disease. If any of you do not have an eye care specialist, you can call 414-321-7035 for a free educational booklet on the disease and information about scheduling a comprehensive screening (West Allis, Wauwatosa or downtown Milwaukee) that is typically covered by Medicare and most insurances. You’ll be helping your family to see life to the fullest . . . now and in the future.

Learn the Treatment Options

How is glaucoma treated?
Dr. Norman Cohen: Glaucoma can’t be cured, but treatment can usually halt further damage. The most common type of glaucoma is a lifelong condition that requires continual management. To prevent vision loss, we prescribe drops to lower pressure by either decreasing fluid production in or increasing fluid drainage out of the eye.

Is there an alternative to drops?
Dr. Robert Sucher: In some cases, when drops alone cannot control the pressure, side effects are intolerable, or multiple types of drops are required, laser treatment may be an alternative, including LTP & SLT (which increase fluid drainage) and ECP (which decreases fluid production). These procedures take less than 10 minutes at our surgery center and are covered by Medicare and most insurances.

How safe are laser procedures?
Dr. Mark Freedman: LTP, SLT & ECP have very good success rates for controlling glaucoma and reducing the need for drops or surgery and can sometimes be repeated, as needed.

What are the major benefits?
Dr. Brett Rhode: If laser treatment achieves steady normal pressures, it can reduce two huge burdens—cost and compliance. This is especially important for people who already have other conditions requiring daily medication(s) that they have to worry about buying and taking.