How do eye doctors test for glaucoma

When you go into L. Eye Care for a complete eye exam, your doctor will test you for signs of glaucoma. If signs of the diseases are present, they will refer to you for a comprehensive glaucoma evaluation. During this appointment, an ophthalmologist will examine your inner eye pressure, the shape and color of your optic nerve, your complete field of vision, the angle where your iris meets your cornea, and the thickness of your cornea.

The doctor will use a tonopen or Goldmann applanation to test your inner eye pressure. These methods replace the puff of air test that you might have experienced at other practices. Your doctor will be able to verify your diagnosis through other examinations. Your doctor may perform an exam called gonioscopy to measure the angle between your iris and your cornea.

After administering drops to numb your eyes, the doctor will place a hand-held contact lens on your eye. The contact lens contains a mirror that can help the doctor see whether the space is blocked, or wide and open. Next, your doctor will take a look at the back of your eye with a dilated eye exam. The doctor will administer eye drops and wait about 20 to 30 minutes until your eyes are fully dilated. Then, they will use an ophthalmoscope to examine any damage that may have occurred to your optic nerve.

The doctor may also perform an exam called pachymetry, a simple and painless test to measure the thickness of your cornea. A probe called a pachymeter is gently placed on the front of the eye the cornea to measure its thickness. The procedure takes only about a minute to measure both eyes. Lastly, the doctor will also perform a field of vision test to determine if you have experienced any vision loss because of glaucoma.

During this exam, you will be asked to look straight ahead and then indicate when a moving light passes your peripheral vision. This is so any worsening of the nerve appearance can be detected in the future. Glaucoma initially causes peripheral vision loss that the patient does not notice.

This vision loss can be detected with a perimetry test also known as a visual field test. It involves testing each eye separately with an automated machine that flashes a series of small lights in the periphery to which the patient should react by pressing a button. The perimetry test takes around minutes per eye and is repeated times a year so that every new test can be compared to the previous ones to look for any worsening.

An OCT scan is an important test in diagnosing and monitoring glaucoma. It is used to measure the retinal nerve fibre layers RNFL around the optic nerve which is an important marker of early to moderate glaucoma damage. For glaucoma suspects and those at the very early stages of glaucoma, the visual field test may not show any peripheral field damage however, the measurements from the OCT can detect early signs of glaucoma.

The OCT measurements can also help monitor any changes and progression with glaucoma. This can help determine the treatment plan. Pachymetry is a test that measures the thickness of the front window of the eye cornea. The eye is numbed with drops then a contact probe quickly measures the thickness in a few seconds. Glaucoma Australia recommends all Australians 50 years or older visit an optometrist every 2 years for a comprehensive eye exam, and if you have a family history of glaucoma or are of Asian or African descent we recommend you get your eyes checked every 2 years from the age of If your family member has advanced glaucoma, it is recommended that you attend regular eye health checks commencing years earlier than the age of onset in your affected relative.

While anyone may develop glaucoma, some people are at a higher risk including those with a family history of the disease and anyone over the age of Take our quiz to find out if you are at higher risk of developing glaucoma. I hope people listen to the warnings, and make time to go and get their eyes checked. Without those regular eye exams I would now be blind. I am grateful for my sight so please be grateful for yours and get an eye test.

It's the difference of seeing a future. Subscribe to our FREE monthly e-newsletter for the latest news, research and lifestyle articles about glaucoma. A complete eye exam includes five common tests to detect glaucoma.

It is important to have your eyes examined regularly. You should get a baseline eye screening at age Early signs of eye disease and changes in vision may start to occur at this age. Your eye doctor will tell you how often to have follow-up exams based on the results of this screening. If you have high risk factors for glaucoma, diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of glaucoma, you should see an eye doctor now to determine how often to have eye exams.

Tonometry measures the pressure within your eye. During tonometry, eye drops are used to numb the eye. Then a doctor or technician uses a device called a tonometer to measure the inner pressure of the eye. A small amount of pressure is applied to the eye by a tiny device or by a warm puff of air. Most glaucoma cases are diagnosed with pressure exceeding 20mm Hg.

However, some people can have glaucoma at pressures between 12 mm Hg. Eye pressure is unique to each person. This diagnostic procedure helps the doctor examine your optic nerve for glaucoma damage. Eye drops are used to dilate the pupil so that the doctor can see through your eye to examine the shape and color of the optic nerve. The doctor will then use a small device with a light on the end to light and magnify the optic nerve.

If your intraocular pressure IOP is not within the normal range or if the optic nerve looks unusual, your doctor may ask you to have one or two more glaucoma exams: perimetry and gonioscopy. Perimetry is a visual field test that produces a map of your complete field of vision.

This test will help a doctor determine whether your vision has been affected by glaucoma. During this test, you will be asked to look straight ahead as a light spot is repeatedly presented in different areas of your peripheral vision. This helps draw a "map" of your vision. Do not be concerned if there is a delay in seeing the light as it moves in or around your blind spot.