Glaucoma in Oshawa, ON

Open-angle glaucoma (also known as primary or chronic) is the most common form of glaucoma. It occurs when the fluid in your eyes (the aqueous humour) can’t drain properly, causing your eye’s internal pressure to slowly rise. This form of glaucoma progresses gradually and will require life-long management.

This condition rarely exhibits symptoms in its early stages, so many patients don’t realize something is wrong until they have already experienced vision loss or even blindness.

Angle-closure glaucoma (also known as acute or narrow-angle) is a rare form of glaucoma that develops suddenly and painfully. It occurs when the iris expands outwards and blocks the drainage canals (the angle between the cornea and the iris), resulting in a sudden increase in IOP.

Symptoms of angle-closure glaucoma are very noticeable and damage occurs quickly. Symptoms include:

• Blurred or hazy vision
• Rainbow halos around bright lights
• Severe eye and headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sudden loss of sight

Angle-closure glaucoma is an eye emergency, so if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, call us immediately.

NCT, or the “air puff test,” uses a puff of air to measure your eye’s internal pressure. NCT is an easy test to screen for glaucoma as there is no contact made. However, it’s not as accurate as other forms of tonometry.

Perkins Tonometry is just as accurate at Goldmann Applanation Tonometry (the “gold standard” for glaucoma testing) but is handheld. This is ideal for children and those with physical limitations.

Perkins ultimately works the same as GAT. It uses a tonometer to slightly flatten the surface of the cornea to measure IOP.

Glaucoma is a serious and dangerous eye disease that requires quick action and prompt management. Regular eye exams are essential to early detection, so please book an appointment today.

Optometrists use visual field testing to diagnose, assess, and monitor the progression of glaucoma. The test pulses light around different areas of your peripheral vision. At the same time, your optometrist monitors this test to look for signs of blind spots in your vision, which could be indicative of vision damage caused by glaucoma.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans help your optometrist take a look at your retina’s health. Glaucoma can damage your retina, particularly your optic disc, and an OCT detects this by creating cross-sectional photographs of your retina. OCTs operate similarly to an ultrasound, but instead of using sound to generate images, it uses light directed into your eye.