 Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in the United States. A simple painless eye exam can detect the disease. With early detection and treatment, glaucoma can usually be controlled and blindness prevented.
Glaucoma can affect anyone from newborn infants to the elderly. It has been estimated that up to 3 million Americans have glaucoma. At least half of those people do not know they have it because glaucoma usually has no symptoms. People who are at a greater risk for glaucoma usually have the following conditions:
- At least 45 years old without regular eye exams
- A family history of glaucoma
- Abnormally high eye pressure
- African descent
- Nearsightedness
- Diabetes
- Previous eye injury
- Regular, long-term use of cortisone/ steroid products
To detect glaucoma, Dr. Foreman will test your visual acuity, test the pressure in your eye and dilate your pupils. He will also test your peripheral vision with a visual field and analyze your optic nerves. Regular and complete eye exams help to monitor the changes in your eyesight and will help to determine whether you may develop glaucoma. Dr. Foreman uses the Zeiss Stratus OCT™, the Humphrey® Field Analyzer, and the Topcon Fundus Camera to detect and test for glaucoma. In addition, Dr. Foreman uses the new SITA SWAP software on the visual field machine for early detection of glaucoma.
Treatment to control glaucoma include medications in the form of either eye drops or pills, laser surgery and conventional surgery.
For more information on the Humphrey® Visual Field Instrument and Humphrey® SWAP, click here and visit the Perimetry section.
Click here to view an animation about Glaucoma.
The swift and painless OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) exam can detect the development of glaucoma years earlier than other available technologies. This is made possible by studying damage to the optic nerve caused by glaucoma before you lose any vision.
During the exam, you simply lean into the OCT instrument and look at a light. A harmless laser scans the back of your eye and forms an image in under one second. The entire procedure may be over in less than a minute. It is non-intrusive and often does not require pupil dilation.
Exam results take the shape of a color-coded "thickness map" of the retinal nerve fiber layer and optic nerve in your eye. In addition your information is tabulated and compared to a normative data bank. This supplies your physician with information about the health of your eyes that cannot be obtained from other exams.
For more information on Optical Coherence Tomography, click here.
Click here to view an animation about the Optic Nerve and the eye.
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Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) is an advanced laser system that targets specific cells of the eye -- those containing melanin, a natural pigment. Using a special wavelength and energy, the SLT targets these specific cells in the trabecular meshwork (outflow barrier inside your eye), leaving the surrounding tissue intact, and improves the flow of fluid in the eye, thereby lowering your eye pressure.
Your eye pressure may drop as quickly as a day or more after having the SLT procedure. You may be treated with anti-inflammatory eye drops that will be continued after the procedure. There are no incidences of allergy or systemic side effects with SLT. The SLT treatment does not cause pain.
The SLT procedure is reimbursed by Medicare and many other insurance providers, which minimizes your out-of-pocket expenses.
For information on Lumenis laser, click here.
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Punctal plugs are a treatment option for patients suffering from dry eye that has not been relieved by drops or ointments. Punctal plugs are placed in the opening of the tear ducts in the eyelids (called "puncta") to block tear drainage and keep the eyes moist. Implantation should reduce the need for artificial tear drops and increase the patient's overall comfort.
Punctal plugs come in a few different shapes and sizes, and may be placed in the lower or upper eyelid or both eyelids. The most common plugs are umbrella-shaped and made of silicone. They may be placed partially inside the tear duct or embedded entirely within the duct (Herrick plugs). A recently introduced acrylic plug called the SmartPLUG softens at body temperature and expands to custom-fit each patient's eye.
Implantation takes only a few seconds in a professional's office.
For more information on Eagle Plugs, click here.
Click here to view an animation on Dry Eyes.
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RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion is the only prescription eye drop available to treat chronic dry eye caused by low tear production. Made by Allergan, RESTASIS® drops increase tear production so the eyes are better moisturized and less painful. Two drops a day in each affected eye - one drop in the morning and one at night - is all it takes. According to Allergan, patients who use RESTASIS® report a noticeable increase in tear production.
For more information on RESTASIS®, click here.
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