Glaucoma

An estimated 4.2 million Americans live with vision loss related to glaucoma. If you have blurred vision, eye pain, or other unexplained symptoms, Nix Eye Care and Surgery can help. Thomas Nix, MD, provides comprehensive eye exams to identify glaucoma, so you can get the treatment you need before optic nerve damage occurs. Dr. Nix offers the most advanced glaucoma treatments, including laser surgery, to protect your long-term eyesight. Call the Jonesboro, Arkansas, office today to schedule a glaucoma consultation or book an appointment online.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damages the optic nerve, which carries signals from your eyes to your brain and is essential for vision.

Optic nerve damage results from increased pressure from fluid that builds up inside the eye. As pressure increases, your peripheral vision is lost. The progression of glaucoma can ultimately lead to blindness, so early diagnosis and treatment are important.

Nix Eye Care and Surgery specializes in the treatment and prevention of glaucoma in adults and children.

Dr. Nix offers a personal, customized treatment regimen with options for laser management. He also provides educational resources to reduce risk factors for glaucoma to keep your eyes healthy.

What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

There are two types of glaucoma, which cause different symptoms and complications.

Open-angle glaucoma

Open-angle glaucoma typically doesn’t cause symptoms in the early stage. However, as the condition worsens, you lose patches of your peripheral vision and may have issues seeing in low-light environments.

Normal-tension glaucoma

Normal tension glaucoma occurs in people with normal eye pressure. The condition causes a gradual loss of peripheral vision but may not cause other symptoms.

Acute angle-closure

Acute angle-closure is a medical emergency. Symptoms include eye pain, blurred vision, severe headache, nausea, and vomiting.

If you have these symptoms or any sudden changes in your vision, schedule a diagnostic evaluation at Nix Eye Care and Surgery. Dr. Nix offers comprehensive eye exams and uses advanced technologies to assess your optic nerve and other parts of your eye.

Preventive glaucoma screenings are also available to identify elevated eye pressure before it damages the optic nerve.

How is glaucoma treated?

Your treatment plan for glaucoma depends on the type you have and the severity of your symptoms. Nix Eye Care and Surgery offers:

Prescription eye drops

Eye drops are available to help drain fluid from the eye or to slow down fluid production to protect the optic nerve.

Laser therapy

Laser treatments improve the drainage efficiency of fluids from your eye to reduce pressure on the optic nerve.

Surgery

If other therapies aren’t effective, you may need surgery to improve fluid drainage.

Dr. Nix discusses your treatment options during your consultation, so you can make an informed decision about your health.

Call Nix Eye Care and Surgery today to schedule a diagnostic evaluation of glaucoma symptoms. You can also book an appointment online.