Philadelphia Glaucoma Evaluation and Treatment
For over 20 years, Hendrix Vision Center has provided comprehensive eye care for the whole family. We are a Philadelphia owned and operated business, with the friendly, attentive service that makes a visit to the eye doctor a pleasant and comfortable experience. As part of our specialized service, we offer both glaucoma evaluation and glaucoma treatment.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in people over forty, yet almost all blindness due to this stealthy condition is preventable. Glaucoma is not an infection, nor is it contagious. It is a condition in which pressure created by the fluid in one or both eyes builds to an abnormally high level. Ultimately, this pressure causes damage to the delicate visual structures of the eye and, left untreated, blindness often results.
Glaucoma can damage your vision with little to no warning. Fortunately, it is still possible to protect your eyesight. Especially if you are over forty, it is critical to have regular eye examinations. Because chronic glaucoma seldom causes symptoms, early detection and treatment are the only ways to prevent permanent loss of vision. At Hendrix Vision, our skilled and caring staff is here to offer a comprehensive glaucoma evaluation, as well as glaucoma treatment, if needed.
During your eye examination, it is important to tell our physician if other members of your family have glaucoma because the condition tends to be hereditary. After completing the routine exam, specific tests will be conducted to confirm the presence of glaucoma. These tests can identify glaucoma long before the onset of symptoms by measuring the pressure in the eye, checking your peripheral vision, and central vision, and examining the interior structures of the eye.
If chronic glaucoma is diagnosed, the condition will be closely monitored during regular examinations. The treatment of choice for this form of glaucoma includes eye drops and oral medication which, if regularly used, are often all that is necessary to control the damaging pressure. In cases where these medications cannot successfully control the pressure, surgery is required. Acute glaucoma initially affects only one eye, and is usually characterized by painful symptoms. Immediate medication is administered to temporarily relieve the pressure, followed by surgery.