A Glaucoma Suspect is a patient who is at a higher risk for having or developing glaucoma than the general population. In glaucoma, vision is lost when the optic nerve is damaged due to pressure inside the eye. Certain features on examination, such as the shape of your optic nerve or the level of the intraocular pressure, allow the ophthalmologist to determine if a patient is a glaucoma suspect. Performing some additional tests helps ensure that glaucoma suspects who do have this sight-threatening disease are treated early. Glaucoma suspects must be evaluated for glaucoma on a yearly basis.

What Will My Glaucoma Suspect Evaluation Consist Of?

• Tonometry
  Tonometry is the measurement of the pressure inside the eye. Measuring the pressure inside the eye is very important for determining your risk of developing glaucoma.
  
  
• Laser Optic Nerve Scan
  Our office is equipped with the OCT (Optical Coherence Tomographer). This revolutionary technology uses laser-type light to intricately and precisely measure the dimensions of the optic nerve and surrounding tissue. This test is critical for modern management of glaucoma.
  
  
• Optic Disc Analysis
  Through a special digital fundus camera, the shape of you optic disc will be analyzed and compared with the general population. The optic disc is the front aspect of the optic nerve which carries information from the eye to the brain. The digital images will also serve as a baseline for future examinations.
  
  
• Visual Fields
  This is a test of your peripheral vision, the vision that is often lost first in glaucoma. In this test, you will sit in front of a large white bowl. You will be asked to look at a specific point in the middle of the bowl. Light will periodically appear at different locations of the white bowl. You will be asked to press a button whenever you see a light.
  
  
• Pachymetry
  A recent study by the National Institute of Health revealed that thin corneas are a risk factor for glaucoma. The cornea is the clear front covering of the eye. Additionally, the intraocular pressure measured through tonometry can be adjusted to obtain a more accurate reading with this information.

All of this information will be used to determine if you have glaucoma or if you can simply be followed yearly as a glaucoma suspect.

See Glaucoma