Suite 2, Kenmore Building
Mater Hospital
31 Ward Street, The Range, QLD 4700
(P O Box 8415, ALLENSTOWN QLD 4700)
07 49 274 222
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a gradual deterioration of the optic nerve. It is often the result of raised eye pressure. The most common type of glaucoma is named “primary” as there is no definite cause. There are also secondary causes of glaucoma involving trauma, cataracts as well as other eye disease.
There are regularly no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. First affected by the disease is the peripheral vision, it may not be until later in the disease that this loss of vision is noticed. Unfortunately, once the vision has been lost it is not reversible. After this, only the central vision remains and eventually this can also lead to blindness if left untreated. Seldom patients may experience non-specific symptom such as headaches, eye tiredness, haloes around lights at night and/or patchy vision.
Upon consultation with the eye specialist, your vision, intraocular pressures, visual field and OCT tests will be performed by our clinical staff. These results and you will be then examined by the doctor. From here they will be able to determine and symptoms of glaucoma. Using specially prescribed eye drops are the usual treatment for lowering the intraocular pressure. By lowering the pressures is slowing the progression of vision loss. Laser and trabeculectomy surgery are also different types of treatment is the desired pressures are not achieved by eye drops alone.