When the pressure inside your eye becomes excessive, this is the eye disease known as glaucoma. It can happen to anyone at any age and there are usually no obvious symptoms until it has advanced and become problematic. This is just one reason why we at Chicago My Optical recommends that you get a complete eye exam every year. Glaucoma is manageable and treatable, but if it is not detected and addressed, it can lead to serious problems up to and including blindness. In fact, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness. Let our Niles Township glaucoma eye care keep your eyes in the best health possible.
The root cause of glaucoma is when there is an imbalance between the amount of eye fluid your body produces and the amount that drains. Under normal circumstances, eye fluid circulates and then drains from your eye, but when that process is impeded, there is a buildup of fluid and this leads to an increase in your internal eye pressure. Although glaucoma can also be caused from an eye injury, chemical contamination, a severe eye infection, or inflammation, these are rarely the reason for glaucoma. Both eyes are typically affected when you have glaucoma, although it can be greater in one eye than the other. When symptoms do appear, they can include loss of vision, tunnel vision, and a haziness in your eye (especially in infants). Nausea and vomiting, in particular when combined with any of the other listed symptoms, should also be noted. When you experience any of these common signs of glaucoma, you should call us as soon as possible and arrange an appointment to avail yourself or our Niles Township glaucoma eye care.
In order to form a definite diagnosis, our optometrist will do several tests. The most common one is known as tonometry, which measures the level of internal eye pressure. A field vision test will allow us to gauge your peripheral vision and a visual acuity test (reading from an eye chart) are commonly used as part of the diagnostic process along with any other tests that may be thought helpful. If you do have glaucoma, our Niles Township glaucoma eye care will discuss what options are available for reducing your eye pressure and preventing any further loss of vision.
