Glaucoma is the name given to a group of diseases that affect the fibres in the optic nerves. It can significantly impact your vision, and if left untreated, can result in the permanent loss of sight in one or both eyes. It is important to get your eyes checked by an Optometrist or an Ophthalmologist if anyone in the family has Glaucoma as you are at an increased risk. The Optometrist may refer you to an Ophthalmologist for further assessment and treatment.
You may experience no symptoms during the initial onset of glaucoma; your vision may appear to be normal and you feel no pain. However, it is generally the case that your peripheral or side vision will begin to deteriorate after time, leading to tunnel vision. It may then be that the condition deteriorates to such a degree that your central vision is lost entirely.
If you are referred by your GP or optometrist to glaucoma specialist in Adelaide, the assessment will involve measuring your field of vision and the pressure inside your eyes, as well as examining the optic nerve at the back of your eye in order to determine what stage the glaucoma has reached.
There is currently no known cure for glaucoma, but a glaucoma specialist can slow down its progression so that any further loss of vision is prevented. Successful management of glaucoma may be achieved in the first instance through the regular use of eye drops (or in rare cases oral medication), but if this does not halt vision loss, laser treatment may be used. If laser treatment is not adequate in preventing further deterioration of your sight, a surgical procedure known as a trabeculectomy may be required. While this may succeed in stopping further loss of vision, it will not restore any sight that has already been lost.