Glaucoma is an insidious disease that can usually manifest little to no actual symptoms. In fact, it is estimated that over 2.2 million people in the United States have Glaucoma, while only half of those people know they have the disease (1). Glaucoma affects nearly 2% of the population in the United States, which is over 2.7 million people. The number of patients diagnosed with glaucoma increased by half a million people between 2000 and 2010. (2). According to the World Health Organization, Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness across the world.
Glaucoma primarily affects the optic nerve, the pathway that carries images from the eye to the brain. While its exact mechanism isn’t fully understood, we know that Glaucoma ultimately causes atrophy (or cell death) of the optic nerve itself. This causes a progressive loss of peripheral vision, which could lead to total blindness if not treated.
Doctors use three primary means to detect Glaucoma. First, we can measure the amount of peripheral vision each person has through specific diagnostic testing. While any amount of peripheral vision loss is unusual, Glaucoma tends to create certain patterns of vision loss we can typically recognize. Second, we can check the health of the optic nerve itself though microscopic observation or photography. Third, it has been observed that the majority of patients with Glaucoma also have elevated eye pressures. Measuring this pressure is a standard test performed during any comprehensive visual exam. Testing eye pressure involves an instrument that either utilizes a puff of air or a probe that comes into contact with cornea, the clear front part of the eye. While these readings are generally very accurate, other factors besides eye pressure can affect the validity of these readings. One of these factors is the thickness of the cornea – an unusually thick cornea will cause eye pressure readings to be higher. Conversely, a thinner than average cornea will cause these readings to be lower. We can measure the corneal thickness and adjust our final pressure readings based on those findings.
For the majority of people that have been diagnosed with Glaucoma, LASIK can still be an excellent option to improve your vision. While LASIK cannot bring back vision that has been lost due to Glaucoma, it can still be used to reduce or eliminate your dependency on glasses or contact lenses. LASIK surgery involves reshaping the cornea of your eye. Usually after LASIK surgery, the cornea is thinner than before. This can affect the pressure readings your doctor records during your Glaucoma follow up exams. It is very important to tell the physician that you had LASIK so they can reference your new corneal thickness to calculate a more accurate pressure result.
While most patients with Glaucoma are likely excellent candidates for LASIK, it is important to come in for a free consultation to see if LASIK is right for you. We will provide a full health examination of your eyes and discuss with you how LASIK may be able to reduce or even eliminate your dependency on glasses or contact lenses. Schedule your free consultation today!
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