Glaucoma

Omphroy Eye Care

Luis C Omphroy, M.D.

Ophthalmology & Cataract Surgeon located in Aiea, HI

Glaucoma affects around 80 million adults around the world and the number is continually rising. Omphroy Eye Care ophthalmologist Luis Omphroy, MD, can diagnose, treat, and manage the disease in all its forms and stages. He performs complete glaucoma eye exams and identifies the disease early so you can prevent its progression and save your vision. Call the Aiea, Hawaii.

Glaucoma Q & A

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a disease affecting the optic nerve. Your optic nerve ferries images to your brain, so you need a healthy optic nerve for normal eyesight. 

With glaucoma, your optic nerve becomes damaged, usually because of increased pressure within your eye. This optic nerve damage usually starts with small blind spots that worsen over time. The two most common glaucoma types are: 

Open-angle glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma develops very slowly over the years. The disease often doesn’t cause vision problems until it’s quite advanced, which is why glaucoma eye exams are so important. 

This form of glaucoma affects 95% of sufferers.

Angle-closure glaucoma

Angle-closure glaucoma, or closed-angle glaucoma, usually comes on suddenly. It causes rapid vision loss, eye pain, and other serious symptoms. Angle-closure glaucoma is an emergency. 

Glaucoma is most common in seniors and is one of the most common causes of vision loss in Americans over 60. 

How is glaucoma diagnosed?

At Omphroy Eye Care, Dr. Omphroy typically diagnoses the disease during a complete glaucoma eye exam. Your exam may include special tests like: 

  • Tonometry eye pressure measurement
  • Maestro optical coherence tomography (OCT) for optic nerve exam
  • Octopus visual field analysis
  • Pachymetry to check cornea thickness
  • Gonioscopy to check eye drainage angle

Dr. Omphroy uses the most technologically advanced equipment to obtain the most accurate information so he can diagnose your glaucoma in the earliest stages.

How is glaucoma treated?

Dr. Omphroy offers both medical and surgical treatment of glaucoma. 

Eye drops

Treatment usually begins with prescription eye drops, which can improve fluid drainage, minimize fluid production, or both. You may need oral medication, as well.

Laser therapy

In cases where eye drops don’t improve your condition, Dr. Omphroy might recommend laser trabeculoplasty for the treatment of glaucoma. During this in-office procedure, Dr. Omphroy guides a laser to unblock clogs and restore normal fluid movement in your eye.

Surgery

Surgical treatment of glaucoma includes filtering surgery, a surgical version of laser trabeculoplasty. Other options include inner-eye tubes for drainage and a variety of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) approaches. 

Dr. Omphroy explains all the glaucoma treatment options and which is best for you. He takes the conservative approach whenever possible, but won’t hesitate to recommend surgery if it’s the best way to preserve your vision. 

Call the Omphroy Eye Care office or use the online scheduler today to book your appointment for a glaucoma exam or treatment.