Glaucoma

Up to three million Americans have glaucoma, a serious eye disease and the second-leading cause of blindness worldwide. At Meriden Eye Care, LLC, with offices in Meriden and Fairfield, Connecticut, skilled optometrist Luiza Youssefi, DO, and the team have years of experience diagnosing and treating glaucoma. Call the nearest office to schedule a glaucoma screening, or book your appointment online today. 

What are the different types of glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of progressive eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, a piece of tissue at the back of your eye that transmits electrical impulses from your eye to your brain. The Meriden Eye Care, LLC, team treats several types of glaucoma, including:

Open-angle glaucoma

This type of glaucoma occurs when the drainage system at the back of your eye doesn’t work properly. Fluid builds up over time, resulting in increased eye pressure that damages the optic nerve.

Angle-closure glaucoma

This type of glaucoma occurs when your iris bulges outward. This cuts off the drainage system at the back of your eye, allowing fluid to build up and damage the optic nerve.

Normal-tension glaucoma

This type of glaucoma damages your optic nerve without an increase in eye pressure. Experts aren’t sure why it occurs, but it’s thought that fatty deposits in the arteries may play a role. 

Pediatric glaucoma

Some children are born with glaucoma or develop it during the first few years of life. Pediatric glaucoma is often caused by an eye injury or an underlying medical condition.

How is glaucoma diagnosed?

Your Meriden Eye Care, LLC, provider completes a comprehensive eye exam. They measure your intraocular pressure (eye pressure), test for optic nerve damage, and check for vision loss with a visual field test. 

Next, your provider checks the drainage angle at the back of your eye (gonioscopy) and completes a pachymetry exam, measuring your corneal thickness. Abnormal results on any of these tests often indicate glaucoma.

How is glaucoma treated?

The Meriden Eye Care, LLC, team treats glaucoma using a conservative, patient-centered approach. There’s no cure, but various therapies can slow the disease's progression and prevent eye damage from worsening. The team might suggest:

• Prostaglandins (eye drops that increase the drainage of fluid from your eyes)
• Beta-blockers (eye drops that reduce the production of eye fluid)
• Alpha-adrenergic agonists (eye drops that reduce the production of eye fluid)
• Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (eye drops that reduce the production of eye fluid)
• Rho kinase inhibitors (eye drops that reduce eye pressure)
• Miotic or cholinergic agents (eye drops that increase the outflow of fluid from the eyes)
• Oral medication to reduce eye pressure
• Laser therapy to slow the progression of the disease
• Drainage tubes (medical devices that help drain fluid from your eyes)

In severe cases, the team recommends minimally invasive glaucoma surgery with a trusted ophthalmologist and co-manages your aftercare. This procedure helps reduce eye pressure quickly and is often performed alongside cataract surgery.

Call the nearest Meriden Eye Care, LLC, office to schedule glaucoma treatment, or book your appointment online today.