Here at New Century Ophthalmology of Oxford and Raleigh, NC, we know how important taking care of your eyes is. But we also know that it can be scary when things go wrong. Nobody wants to lose their vision. That's why we make every effort possible to help our patients retain their vision for as long as possible. For those with certain eye conditions, such as glaucoma, surgery may be necessary. Here's what you need to know about the procedure.
Detecting Glaucoma
Depending on your age and eye health, our ophthalmologist will recommend how often you should have routine eye care exams. For the young and healthy, this can be as little as every two years. After a certain age or if you have vision issues, you will likely need to come in once per year. During these exams, we test more than just how blurry the letters on the screen are. We also test for things like eye pressure and glaucoma. If we notice any issues, we'll let you know about them and discuss your various treatment options.
Non-Surgical Treatment Options
Glaucoma tends to be hereditary, so if your parents or grandparents had it, you're more likely to as well. This just makes it more important to continue your regular eye care exam schedule to monitor the situation. If it is discovered that you have glaucoma, or are developing it, we can prescribe you some medication to slow down the progress or treat it altogether. This can be with oral pills, eye drops, or a combination. This is a beneficial solution in a large portion of cases, but it doesn't always cure the patient. If that's the case, glaucoma surgery will be necessary.
Glaucoma Surgery
If medication and eye drops do not treat glaucoma, laser eye surgery is also an option. During the procedure, we can either open the trabecular meshwork or create a hole in the iris to help the fluid drain out. Both methods will help lower the pressure in your eyes. If there are other vision issues, we can also treat those at the same time. You may be seeing better after glaucoma surgery than ever before.
Contact Our Ophthalmologist in Oxford and Raleigh, NC for Glaucoma Surgery
Glaucoma is a common eye condition and should be taken seriously. If not treated, it can lead to total blindness. We encourage everyone, no matter the clarity of their vision, to visit an ophthalmologist regularly. We're here to help at New Century Ophthalmology with locations in Oxford and Raleigh, NC. For more information on our eye care services or to schedule an appointment, call us today or request an appointment online.