Eye Care Services » Glaucoma
Glaucoma Laser Surgery and Treatment in White Plains & Manhattan New York
Diagnosing and Treating Glaucoma to Preserve Your Vision
To prevent optical nerve damage and potential blindness from glaucoma, we recommend making regular visits to our White Plains or Manhattan office for optical exams. We can diagnose and treat glaucoma quickly to improve your eye health and save your vision. Glaucoma involves damage to the ocular nerve, which takes the visual information processed by the retina and sends it to the brain. It is important to undergo regular optical exams, especially if you are at high risk for this disease. Call us today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced doctors.
Causes of Glaucoma
Glaucoma usually results from an imbalance in the drainage of the aqueous humor, a gelatinous fluid that circulates through the eye.
In patients with extremely pressure-sensitive optic nerves, damage to the optic nerve can occur without a build-up of excess intraocular pressure. This condition is called normal-tension glaucoma because patients incur irreparable damage from what would be normal intraocular pressure in most.
Optic nerve damage with a clear, identifiable source is called secondary glaucoma. This can be caused by injury to the eye, blocked optical blood vessels, inflammatory conditions, and severe eye infection. Sometimes, eye surgery can also inadvertently create increased intraocular pressure and harm the optic nerve.
In patients with extremely pressure-sensitive optic nerves, damage to the optic nerve can occur without a build-up of excess intraocular pressure. This condition is called normal-tension glaucoma because patients incur irreparable damage from what would be normal intraocular pressure in most.
Optic nerve damage with a clear, identifiable source is called secondary glaucoma. This can be caused by injury to the eye, blocked optical blood vessels, inflammatory conditions, and severe eye infection. Sometimes, eye surgery can also inadvertently create increased intraocular pressure and harm the optic nerve.
Video: Glaucoma Treatment
The doctors at Maple Eye and Laser in White Plains, NY, provide glaucoma treatment for patients in the area. Typically effecting older patients, glaucoma is a condition where increased pressure does not allow the optic nerve to function properly. Treatment with medications and laser procedures are aimed and decreasing the intraocular pressure.
Risk Indicators
Certain populations are at higher risk for glaucoma. It is important to understand glaucoma risk factors because the condition often develops with very few or no symptoms and loss of sight from glaucoma is irreversible. You are at higher risk for glaucoma if:
- Anyone in your family has had glaucoma.
- You suffer from diabetes.
- You are of Irish, Russian, Inuit, Japanese, Scandinavian, or African-American descent.
- You already have poor eyesight.
- You use steroid medications like prednisone.
- You are more than 40 years old. Glaucoma can occur at any age, but most patients with this condition are 40 or above.
If you fall into any of these categories, it is even more imperative that you see one of our ophthalmologists for regular eye exams.
Symptoms of Glaucoma
Glaucoma often doesn’t manifest symptoms until the condition is more advanced, so if you experience any of the following, call our office immediately:
- Eye pain
- Loss of vision
- Redness
- Visual narrowing (“tunnel vision”)
- Seeing halos or rings around light sources
- An eye that appears foggy
- Nausea or vomiting
Diagnostic Tools
Since the root cause of the fluid accumulation and intraocular pressure that creates glaucoma is unknown, we use sophisticated diagnostics and tools to track the disease. The earlier we can catch signs of glaucoma, the better. We use OCT (optical coherence tomography) scanning, which passes near-infrared light through the eye to map it and look for areas of heightened pressure. We also use visual field tests to examine peripheral vision, which is the first to go when glaucoma results in loss of sight.
Glaucoma Treatments
If you are diagnosed with glaucoma, it is important to act quickly to keep the condition under control. We treat three types of glaucoma:
Open-angle glaucoma, the most common kind, results from an accumulation of aqueous humor, creating intraocular pressure while the eye looks healthy. This condition progresses more gradually as fluid builds up.
Narrow-angle glaucoma involves an intense increase in intraocular pressure, often because the eye’s drainage channel is not wide enough for adequate fluid to flow through it.
Secondary glaucoma, which has an identifiable cause, like trauma to the eye.
To treat glaucoma, we prescribe eye drops that balance intraocular pressure, either through increasing drainage from the eye or reducing fluid. We also offer non-surgical laser treatments to open up pathways for fluids and reduce pressure. If caught early enough, these treatments can prevent increased loss of vision and complete blindness.
Open-angle glaucoma, the most common kind, results from an accumulation of aqueous humor, creating intraocular pressure while the eye looks healthy. This condition progresses more gradually as fluid builds up.
Narrow-angle glaucoma involves an intense increase in intraocular pressure, often because the eye’s drainage channel is not wide enough for adequate fluid to flow through it.
Secondary glaucoma, which has an identifiable cause, like trauma to the eye.
To treat glaucoma, we prescribe eye drops that balance intraocular pressure, either through increasing drainage from the eye or reducing fluid. We also offer non-surgical laser treatments to open up pathways for fluids and reduce pressure. If caught early enough, these treatments can prevent increased loss of vision and complete blindness.
Learn More about Glaucoma
To screen for, diagnose, prevent, and treat loss of vision from glaucoma, contact our office today to schedule a consultation.
Eye Care Services
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914-948-5157
| Monday | 8:00am - 5:00pm |
| Tuesday | 11:00am - 7:00pm |
| Wednesday | 8:00am - 5:00pm |
| Thursday | 8:00am - 5:00pm |
| Friday | 8:00am - 5:00pm |
| Saturday | By Appointment Only |
| Sunday | Closed |
Available for Emergencies
Please contact us if you have a question, or would like to schedule an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Please contact us if you have a question, or would like to schedule an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
