Glaucoma Specialist Kutztown, PA

You may have heard a bit about glaucoma, but may be wondering how to know the warning signs. You may not know anyone with the disease, so you are worried about how you will know if symptoms set in. The best way you can ensure early detection is to have regular eye exams. Kutztown PA residents are fortunate to have a glaucoma specialist close by in the Blandon office of Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania.

What Is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is actually a group of diseases, all involving fluid buildup in the eye. The buildup results in pressure that damages the optic nerve, which results in pressure and damage to the optic nerve. Sadly, glaucoma is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the world today. People over age 60 are particularly susceptible. However, when caught early, glaucoma can be treated.

Seven Signs

What signs should you look for? Our Blandon glaucoma specialists look for these seven signs.

First, there are certain vision changes that can happen. If you experience sudden blurry vision, you may have acute angle-closure glaucoma. Fluid accumulates in the front part of the eye, causing a rapid pressure build up that creates the sudden blurred vision. To prevent further damage, seek immediate medical attention.

People with glaucoma often see halos or rainbows, particularly at night when looking at lights. Driving can be problematic and eve dangerous. An early sign of the open-angle form of glaucoma is loss of peripheral vision, meaning your side field of vision when you are looking straight ahead. If your side vision becomes narrowed or suddenly blurred, be sure to seek immediate medical attention. This may be an early indication of glaucoma, and sometimes it is the only warning sign.

Eye pain can be a sign of rapid onset of glaucoma. Rapid pressure buildup can cause this pain. Some patients experience physical changes to the eye, such as a change in the iris color or eyelids that become red and swollen. Having itchy, dry and red eyes is a sign of several things including allergies, but it can also be a glaucoma warning sign. Be sure to check any notable physical change in the eyes with a glaucoma specialist.

There are other signs of glaucoma that don’t involve the eyes or vision. If you have a headache that suddenly appears for no reason, this can be an early warning sign. If a headache and eye pain suddenly appear together, seek immediate medical attention to avoid irreversible damage.

Nausea or vomiting that accompanies eye pain is also an early warning, so seek medical help if they occur together. The eye pressure may cause not only eye pain, but create problems with vision focusing that in turn create nausea or vomiting.

Your Glaucoma Specialist

If you experience any of these above symptoms, come see our glaucoma specialist. Most often, glaucoma has no warning signs and is characterized by gradual vision loss, which is often not even noticed by the individual. If you wait until you have vision problems, permanent and irreversible damage may have already been done. This is why it is so important to have an eye exam at least twice a year, particularly over age 60. Fortunately, Kutztown PA residents have an experienced glaucoma specialist at Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania, right here in nearby Blandon. We want you to be our next new patient, so give us a call.