FAQs on Glaucoma Screening
In association with an ophthalmologist, we answer some of the most Frequently Asked Glaucoma Screening Questions.
DISCLAIMER: Always follow the advice of your medical professional.
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Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can lead to damage to the eye’s optic nerve and result in blindness.
Open-angle glaucoma, the most common form of glaucoma, affects about 3 million Americans (USA statistics); half of whom don’t know they have it. It has no symptoms at first, but over the years it can steal your sight.
With early treatment, you can often protect your eyes against serious vision loss and blindness.
Photograph of healthy Optic Nerve & eye with Glaucoma:
Watch this Video by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which explains Glaucoma:
Want to learn more about Glaucoma?
Visit our informational page here.
or Watch our Videos:
What is Glaucoma:
Treating Glaucoma:
Sketch: Glaucoma:
- 02
Some people have a higher than normal risk of getting glaucoma. This includes people who:
are over age 40
have family members with glaucoma
are of African, Hispanic, or Asian heritage
have high eye pressure
are farsighted or nearsighted
have had an eye injury
use long-term steroid medications
have corneas that are thin in the center
have thinning of the optic nerve
have diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure, poor blood circulation or other health problems affecting the whole body
What is Glaucoma? Watch our Video below:
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It is necessary to speak with an ophthalmologist about the risks of getting glaucoma. People with more than one of these risk factors have an even higher risk of glaucoma and a treatment plan or monitoring plan will then need to be discussed accordingly.
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The only sure way to diagnose glaucoma is with a complete eye exam at your ophthalmologist. A glaucoma screening that only checks eye pressure is not enough to find glaucoma.
- 05
This will take approximately 30 minutes. During a glaucoma exam, an ophthalmologist will:
measure your eye pressure
inspect your eye's drainage angle
examine your optic nerve for damage
test your peripheral (side) vision (perform a visual field test)
take a picture or computer measurement of your optic nerve which is important for follow-up purposes
measure the thickness of your cornea
measure the thickness of your optic nerve fibres (OCT test) to ascertain if the optic nerve fibres are getting thinner or damaged due to high pressure in your eyes
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with drops
with laser
with surgery
After your examination, an ophthalmologist will know the level of the damage caused by glaucoma and which treatment option or combination of treatments is the best way to control glaucoma and prevent further damage of the optic nerve.
Watch our Video on how Glaucoma is treated:
- 07
If you have a stable eye pressure, no change in optic nerve damage and stable visual field test you are advised to repeat your tests between four months and one year.
If you have increased eye pressure, despite being treated for it, as well as increased optic nerve damage and advanced visual field loss or damage, you should be checked every four months, until the progression of your glaucoma damage has stopped or slowed down.
- 08
Most of your medical insurances / medical aids will provide funds to monitor glaucoma two times per year.
Glaucoma is on the Prescribed Minimum Benefit list, which means that your medical aid is obliged to cover for the treatment and tests even if you do not have funds available on your medical aid account.
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