Glaucoma Services

What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve — the part of the eye that carries the images we see to the brain. The optic nerve is made up of many nerve fibers, like an electric cable containing numerous wires. When damage to the optic nerve fibers occurs, blind spots develop. These blind spots usually go undetected until the optic nerve is significantly damaged. When the entire nerve gets destroyed the person would go blind.

Early detection and treatment by your ophthalmologist are the keys to preventing optic nerve damage and blindness from glaucoma. Loss of sight from glaucoma can often be prevented with early treatment.

What is your part in treatment?
* Remember to take notes. Write down your questions.
* So you can make the most of your eye doctor visits.
* Explain to your eye doctor how the medicines you are taking affect you.
* Tell all of your other doctors about your eye medicines and all other drugs you're taking.
* Read more about glaucoma and how to live with it.
* Tell the eye doctor about any changes in your physical condition, any changes in your    medicine or any side effects.

Getting more involved in your treatment
Even if surgery or drugs lower pressure in your eye, it's still possible to lose vision. Therefore, you and your doctor must carefully monitor the disease.

Since you will be visiting your eye doctor regularly, take time and care in choosing a person who you are comfortable with. Your doctor should understand that your questions and concerns are important. A doctor who is willing to work with you, listen to your concerns and provide the best treatment, plays a large part in your success against glaucoma.

You may need medicines every day for the rest of your life. Find support and encouragement from your family, friends and others. Sometimes it helps to talk to people who have experienced the same thing. It can help you to discuss side effects, share ways to remember your medicines and celebrate getting your glaucoma under control. Once you are taking medications for glaucoma, your ophthalmologist will want to see you more frequently. Typically, you can expect to visit your ophthalmologist every three to four months. This will vary depending on your treatment needs.

New medicines are being developed. Other treatments may soon become available. The doctor/patient team approach, support from others and promising scientific discoveries will help you look forward to a bright future.

Treatment for glaucoma requires teamwork between you and your doctor. Your ophthalmologist can prescribe treatment for glaucoma, but only you can make sure that you follow your doctor's instructions and take your eye drops.

Loss of vision can be prevented
Regular medical eye exams may help prevent unnecessary vision loss. Recommended intervals for eye exams are:

* Age 20-29: Individuals with a family history of glaucoma should have an eye examination    every three to five years. Others should have an eye exam at least once during this    period.

* Age 30 -39: Individuals with a family history of glaucoma should have an eye examination    every two to four years. Others should have an eye exam at least twice during this period.

* Age 40-64: Every two years.

* Age 65 or older: Every year.

The senior consultants at Tirupati Eye Centre have done a lot of work in the field of glaucoma .They have various publications in this field. Glaucoma clinic is equipped with applanation tonometer, gonioscopy lenses, automated perimeter / computerized field analyzer and YAG Laser . The centre is equipped with lasers to deal with the problem of glaucoma as well as has the equipments and surgical expertise to carry out various types of glaucoma surgeries including the latest Ahmed glaucoma valves (AGV).