Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disease that affects more than 3 million Americans and is the second leading cause of blindness in this country. Over 35,000 new cases are diagnosed in the United States each year. At least half of the people who have the disease are unaware of it, because glaucoma does not have any noticeable symptoms. While there is no known cure for glaucoma, it can be controlled, but only if it is detected early.
In order to provide early diagnosis and treatment, Bay Hill Eye Care & Eyewear has a state-of-the-art GDx Access Nerve Fiber Analyzer. This piece of medical equipment, commonly called a scanning laser, allows trained staff to measure the retinal nerve fiber layer, the eye tissue which is crucial to good vision and which is damaged by glaucoma.
The entire GDx test is quick, painless, and allows the doctors to detect the very early changes of glaucoma that are difficult to diagnose. The GDx Access records an image of the optic nerve head and takes measurements of "the retinal nerve fiber layer" in less than one minute. Dilation is not necessary, which makes the test even more convenient for our patients. By measuring the thickness of the nerve fiber layer and comparing the results to a database of healthy, glaucoma-free eyes, doctors can access whether damage from glaucoma has occurred. Medical literature indicates that a GDx scan may detect glaucoma changes years earlier than vision loss will appear on a visual field. This translates to earlier diagnosis, so that treatment begins before major damage occurs.
Groups at high risk for glaucoma are:
- African Americans
- People over 40
- Family members of those already diagnosed with glaucoma
- Diabetics
- People who are severely nearsighted
- Long steroid users
- Anyone with an elevated intraocular pressure
There are no warning signs or symptoms of glaucoma until serious loss of vision has occurred. Once vision is lost due to glaucoma, the vision cannot be restored. In most cases, glaucoma can controlled with medication or surgery, but early detection is the key. The best way to protect your vision from glaucoma is to be tested by an eye doctor once a year, especially if you are high risk for this serious disease.