Menu
813-284-2300
813-284-2300
When your vision starts to fade, it doesn’t always become apparent right away. One day, you might strain your eyes while working on the computer at work. Later in the month, you might start to experience headaches while reading the newspaper. Even if you never needed corrective lenses in the past, you could find yourself facing vision problems as you get older. Between the ages of 41 and 60, adults often lose their ability to focus on subjects at a close distance. It’s a normal part of getting older, but loss of vision or difficulty seeing clearly isn’t always the result of presbyopia (normal changes in the function of the eyes).
Changes to your vision are usually nothing to write home about; however, if you experience severe headaches, eye pain, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, halos around lights, or persistent eye redness, you may be suffering from glaucoma. Glaucoma is a serious condition that can lead to blindness if left untreated. Only highly experienced optometrists and board-certified ophthalmologists can work together to diagnose your condition and provide glaucoma treatment in Land O’ Lakes.
When the optic nerve is damaged, it starts to slowly deteriorate. Over time, this leads to the formation of blind spots in your field of vision. For reasons that are somewhat unclear, this also results in increased eye pressure. Your physician utilizes a tonometer, sometimes called a “puff test,” to measure pressure in the eyes and reveal abnormalities consistent with signs of glaucoma.
As the fluid (aqueous humor) of the eye accumulates, the pressure on your eye increases. Typically, excess fluid is drained through the trabecular meshwork at the meeting point of the iris and cornea. Too much fluid or an inability to drain properly will lead to elevated eye pressure. Glaucoma has been linked to genetics, so if your family medical history includes a disproportionate number of glaucoma cases, consult an eye specialist in Land O’ Lakes.
There are several types of glaucoma that can be treated by an eye specialist in Land O’ Lakes, including:
Glaucoma is a dangerous disease that can permanently damage your vision before you become aware of any signs or symptoms. Because of this, it’s important to understand the risk factors that elevate your chance of having glaucoma, including:
Depending on your condition, an optometrist or ophthalmologist can perform a number of tests to measure your intraocular pressure, test for optic nerve damage, check for vision loss, measure corneal thickness, and inspect the drainage angle. These tests can be used to determine whether or not you have glaucoma. If your results come back positive, you will proceed to treatment. Treatment may involve prescription eye drops, oral medications, laser treatment, surgery, or any combination of these.
One surgical procedure, known as selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), can be used to reduce intraocular pressure from glaucoma. Patients that have a primary or secondary open-angle glaucoma are the most common candidates for this effective procedure. This procedure is virtually risk-free, with postoperative inflammation being mild and treatable with eye drops.
Florida Eye Center is dedicated to helping patients in the Tampa Bay area overcome their ocular deficiencies with individualized care and cutting-edge treatments. Our ophthalmologists are board certified through the American Board of Ophthalmology, ensuring only the highest quality care for each and every one of our valued patients.
To schedule an appointment for laser eye surgery in Land O’ Lakes with the Florida Eye Center, please contact us today.
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are for general educational purposes only. All content and media on the Florida Eye Center website does not constitute professional medical advice nor is the information intended to replace the services provided by the medical professionals at Florida Eye Center or other qualified medical professionals. If you believe you are having a medical emergency, call 911 immediately. The content, views, and opinions communicated on this website do not represent the views of Florida Eye Center. Reliance on any information provided by this website is solely at your own risk. Although this website contains links to other medical websites, this is strictly for informational purposes. Florida Eye Center is not responsible nor do they approve of the content featured on any third party linked websites referenced on this website.
To request an appointment, please access the form below or contact our office at (813) 972-4444. While we do our best to accommodate your request, appointment requests made through our website are not guaranteed until confirmed by our office. If this is an emergency, please call 911.
