Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in Canada. It occurs when fluid pressure inside the eye slowly rises, causing damage to the optic nerve.
Often, glaucoma presents no noticeable symptoms in its early stages. It can be detected through a comprehensive eye exam, and regular visits to your optometrist can keep your vision from becoming severely affected.
At our Calgary eye clinic, we offer advanced glaucoma testing services to diagnose and treat the condition early before any vision loss or blindness occurs, helping protect the health of your eyes and ensure the quality of your life.
What is involved In glaucoma testing?
Early detection through regular and complete eye exams is the key to protecting your vision from damage caused by glaucoma.
Here are four common tests you can expect from your comprehensive glaucoma testing appointment:
| Eye Pressure Test (Tonometry) |
The eye pressure test is a crucial part of glaucoma testing and uses an instrument called a tonometer to measure your eye pressure. High eye pressure can be a sign that you have glaucoma or are at increased risk of developing it. |
| Gonioscopy |
This is an examination of the front outer edge of your eye, between the cornea and iris. This is the area where fluid drains from your eye. This glaucoma test can help determine whether or not the area is blocked, which can affect the pressure in your eye. |
| Visual Field Eye Exam |
A visual field check looks for any missing areas of vision. You will be shown a sequence of light spots and asked which ones you can see. If you can’t see the spots in your peripheral vision, it may indicate that glaucoma has damaged your vision. |
| Optic Nerve Assessment |
The optic nerve can become damaged when you have glaucoma so an assessment during the eye exam is necessary. For this test, eye drops will be used to enlarge your pupils. Your eyes are then examined with a slit lamp to assess your optic nerve. |
Why are there so many different glaucoma tests?
Diagnosing glaucoma is not always easy and a comprehensive eye exam as well as careful examination of the optic nerve is essential to diagnosis and treatment.
Eye doctors look at many different factors before making decisions about your treatment in order to ensure your sight is fully protected. If your condition is particularly difficult to treat, you may be referred to a glaucoma specialist.
Who should have regular eye exams?
At our Calgary eye clinic, we advise our patients to have an eye exam at least every two years. If you are at a higher risk of glaucoma, you may be advised to have more frequent tests.
Patients who are recommended to have more frequent glaucoma testing include those who:
- Are over the age of 60
- Have a family history of glaucoma
- Have any eye injuries
- Have eye internal eye pressure
- Have health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease
- Smoke
It is very important to have regular eye exams so that conditions such as glaucoma can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible. Early treatment can help stop your vision from becoming severely affected.
Learn More
To learn more about our comprehensive glaucoma testing services and how our qualified eye doctors can help protect your vision, contact our Calgary eye clinic today at 403-286-4884.
