Glaucoma Testing & Treatment

What Is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness.

It's caused by fluid build-up and increased pressure within the eye that damages the optic nerve that progressively worsens your vision. This disease can cause severe, irreversible vision loss if left untreated.

In many cases, appropriate control and treatment can help prevent further damage to the eyes and protect your vision. Comprehensive Eye Care - Centerville offers several treatments to help address glaucoma. Learn more about the treatments we provide and contact us to schedule an appointment.

Glaucoma diagnosis

The 2 Main Types of Glaucoma

grandfather wearing glasses holding his granddaughter

Open-angle glaucoma: the most common type. It is a lifelong condition that accounts for at least 90% of all glaucoma cases.
Angle-closure glaucoma: a rare form of the disease which requires immediate medical attention. It occurs when the angle is closed in many or most areas between the iris and cornea, which reduces fluid drainage and increases eye pressure.

Glaucoma: The Sneaky Thief of Sight

There is a reason glaucoma is called “the sneaky thief of sight”--half the people with glaucoma don’t even know they have it! Meaning, they may not have symptoms in the early stages.

At Comprehensive Eye Care - Centerville, we diagnose and help preserve your vision with cutting-edge glaucoma treatments that can slow the progression of the disease.

If you have a family history of glaucoma or have been diagnosed with glaucoma, contact us today.

optometrist in Centerville

What are the Signs of Glaucoma?

glaucoma signs

As mentioned earlier, glaucoma usually shows no symptoms in its early stages. When signs do manifest, it's usually loss of tunnel vision or peripheral vision. Unfortunately, by the time vision loss has occurred, it cannot be reversed.

That said, the less common angle-closure glaucoma does show a sudden onset of symptoms, including:

Extreme eye pain
Eye redness
Blurred vision
Nausea

If you experience any of these symptoms, seek prompt diagnosis and treatment by contacting Comprehensive Eye Care - Centerville in Centerville or visiting your nearest emergency room.

Who's at Risk for Glaucoma?

Age 40 +

The prevalence of glaucoma increases with age, with most glaucoma patients aged 40 and up. That said, there is a much rarer form of this disease (congenital glaucoma) that affects infants.
Family History & Ethnicity

Your risk for developing glaucoma is higher if you have a family history of the disease. Those of African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American, and Indigenous Canadian descent have a higher risk of developing this disease.
Other Conditions

High myopia, hypertension and diabetes can increase the risk of developing glaucoma.
Eye Injury or Trauma

An eye injury, trauma or eye surgery can increase the likelihood of developing glaucoma.

Common Glaucoma Treatments

There is currently no cure for glaucoma. However, several treatments are available to prevent the progression of this sight-robbing condition. With the right care, you have a higher chance of managing your glaucoma and preserving your vision.

Common treatments include:

Eye Drops

Your optometrist will prescribe eye drops to help regulate pressure inside the eye by decreasing fluid production and/or improving drainage.

Laser Surgery

If eye drops aren’t doing enough to reduce intraocular pressure or intraocular temperature in open-angle glaucoma, laser surgery may be an option. Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) opens up the drainage system in the eye to reduce pressure.

SLT is successful in 80% of cases and can reduce eye pressure by 20%.

Other Surgeries

If a laser procedure or eye drops do not lower eye pressure to the desired level, your eye doctor may recommend one of the following surgeries:

Incision Surgery
Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS)
Glaucoma Drainage Implants

Glaucoma Testing Treatment FAQs

How does an eye doctor diagnose glaucoma?

Since glaucoma has no side effects early on, it is essential for people with a family history of risk factors for glaucoma to get tested. The following tests diagnose glaucoma:

Tonometry: measures the pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure or IOP)
Ophthalmoscopy (dilated eye exam): examines the shape and color of the optic nerve
Perimetry: measures your field of vision
Gonioscopy: checks the angle where the iris meets the cornea
Pachymetry: determines the thickness of the cornea to better evaluate eye pressure.

What foods should you avoid if you have glaucoma?

The following are the foods every glaucoma patient should consider avoiding immediately. It should help keep your optic nerve healthy and minimize eye pressure.

Caffeine - certain studies show that caffeine contributes to increased intraocular pressure.
Saturated fats - a diet high in saturated fats can lead to weight gain, which not only increases intraocular pressure but also cholesterol levels.
Trans fats - try to limit your consumption of trans fats because they can also raise cholesterol levels
Salt - make sure to consume salt sparingly, as increased blood pressure can indirectly lead to intraocular pressure.

What percentage of glaucoma patients go blind?

About 60% of patients diagnosed with glaucoma will eventually lose some vision.

However, the rate of legal blindness among glaucoma patients is 5%. Getting effective treatment early on will greatly increase your ability to preserve and maximize your vision.

Patient Reviews

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- Nov. 26, 2025

I am very grateful for Dr. O'Neill and the staff at Comprehensive EyeCare. I have not seen this clea... Show Morerly in years and I am constantly noticing details around me that were previously lost in haze. My first day wearing my trial contact lenses, I was stunned that Dr. O'Neill was able to dial-in my prescription so precisely. I honestly didn’t think it was possible for my vision to be this sharp and functional. I had not been to the optometrist in several years. Around 8 years ago, my optometrist had so harshly overcorrected my vision, reading and writing at a normal arms length’s distance was impossible. When I told to this to my optometrist, I was told to get a pair of readers. It did not make any sense for me to wear readers while doing office work only to take them off to drive home and then put the readers back on when doing work at home. This would have required me to somehow to put readers on top of my new glasses, which were the same prescription. When I explained my frustration. My optometrist just shrugged and repeated, “You need readers”. I just wore my old pair of glasses for a year. My next optometrist took one look at my prescription and diagnosed the overcorrection. I had a couple of blissful years of clear vision and productivity, until I lost my insurance. The treatment at the front desk became more terse. My optometrist’s “small talk” began to veer into the “freeloaders leeching off society are destroying this country” direction. I got the message and moved on. I found another optometrist. I made an appointment for three months in the future and I felt lucky to get it. On the morning of the appointment, a staffer called me and told me that my insurance was not accepted (even though it had be listed and accepted as an option in the on-line booking process). The staffer then informed me that if I wanted to get my eyes checked, I could pay $300 out of pocket, or I could go elsewhere. Honestly, I was not expecting much when I made the appointment with Dr. O'Neill. After being treated as a burdensome obligation by my previous eye care establishment, it felt a little unusual to be treated in a decent and professional manner. I was able to get some excellent contact lenses, and thanks to some extra work by Ms. C., who managed to find me extra savings, a fantastic pair of glasses.