Glaucoma Screening

• What is glaucoma?
• Am I likely to get glaucoma?
• What are the signs of glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in people over age 40; approximately 13,000 people in New Zealand are currently being treated for this eye disease

Glaucoma screening is a part of every full eye examination

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is an eye disease that involves an increase in the fluid pressure inside the eye which is associated with damage to the retinal nerve fibres. Once nerve fibres have been damaged the associated loss of vision is permanent and cannot be restored. The most common form of glaucoma develops very slowly, often over a period of months or years. There is typically no pain or discomfort but eventually nerve fibres at the back of the eyes are destroyed causing a permanent loss of vision. If treated early glaucoma can often be controlled.

Am I likely to get glaucoma?

Because glaucoma is a progressive disease and occurs more often in older eyes, it is very important to have your eyes examined regularly. We advise patients over the age of 40 to have an eye examination every two years, for those with a family history of glaucoma a check up once a year is recommended. If you are concerned about glaucoma and do not want a full examination, the only procedure that is not necessary is a "refraction" - refraction involves testing vision in order to establish a prescription for spectacle lenses. Several tests are necessary when looking for signs of glaucoma, one of these is measuring the pressure inside the eyes. However, research shows that many eyes with glaucoma have pressures within the "normal" range, so simply measuring pressure is not a reliable way to detect glaucoma. Glaucoma screening will involve an examination of the structures at the back and front of the eye with an ophthalmoscope and slit lamp, in some cases it is necessary to use dilating drops to allow a thorough examination. It is also important to do a visual field screening to assess retinal nerve fibre sensitivity and to take digital photographs of the back of the eye for future reference.

What are the signs of glaucoma?

The most common form of glaucoma is very slow to develop and in the early stages does not cause any pain, discomfort or change of vision. Early detection gives the best chance of successful control so regular eye examinations are essential. Acute glaucoma which has a sudden onset is not common but causes severe pain, headaches, nausea and foggy vision with halos around lights. In these cases urgent treatment is essential.

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