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Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is at the forefront of everyones’ mind as we all shelter in place at home to reduce spread and promote public safety. We are making it our top priority to take the appropriate precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of each of our patients and staff members. As of March 23, 2020

  • We are still open to see urgent issues and patients with vision threatening conditions in our Langhorne, Southampton, and Bristol offices
  • We are offering live TeleHealth visits as indicated
  • We have canceled all in person routine eye exams
  • Our optical shops are closed
  • If you have a fever, cough or flu like symptoms please stay home
We kindly ask that you are transparent about your Health, pre-existing conditions, and overall state of well-being. Thank you in advance for your cooperation, support, and efforts to obey the state government mandates as well as helping to keep our clinics clean, safe, and unexposed from danger or risk.
Eye Associates of Bucks County is excited to announce the new merger of Century Eye Care & Tri-County Eye to offer even more services including: retina specialists to treat macular degeneration, retinal detachments and diabetic retinopathy, oculoplastics and cosmetic eye surgery, medical and surgical glaucoma care, pediatric eye care, LASIK, laser-assisted cataract surgery with advanced technology lens implants and so much more! Please click on the links below to visit these websites.

Visit Tri County Eye website

Visit Century Eye Care website

Glaucoma

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What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in the US, and can affect patients of all ages, many of who do not experience any symptoms and may not be aware that they have the disease. Glaucoma actually refers to a group of diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve as a result of increased pressure within the eye, but can also be caused by a severe eye infection, injury, blocked blood vessels or inflammatory conditions of the eye.

What Are The Different Types of Glaucoma?

There are two main types of glaucoma, open-angle and angle-closure. Open-angle glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma and involves fluid in the eye not draining properly through the trabecular meshwork. Angle-closure glaucoma involves a sudden buildup of pressure in the eye and poor drainage because the angle between the iris and the cornea is too narrow.

What Are The Symptoms of Glaucoma?

Many patients do not experience any symptoms during the early stages of glaucoma, including no pain and no vision loss. This makes it difficult for many patients to know if they have the disease. But as glaucoma progresses, patients may experience a loss of peripheral or side vision, along with sudden eye pain, headache, blurred vision or the appearance of halos around lights.

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How is Glaucoma Diagnosed?

While some patients may experience symptoms from glaucoma as the disease progresses, others do not learn they have the condition until they undergo a routine eye exam. There are several different exams performed to diagnose glaucoma, including a visual field and scans of the optic nerve. These tests measure peripheral vision and measures the amount of tissue in optic nerve. Other tests may also be performed, such as tonometry to measure the pressure inside the eye and pachymetry to measure the thickness of the cornea.

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How is Glaucoma Treated?

Once glaucoma has been diagnosed, treatment should begin as soon as possible to help minimize the risk of permanent vision loss. There is no cure for glaucoma, so treatment focuses on relieving symptoms and preventing further damage from occurring. Most cases of glaucoma can be treated with eye drops, laser surgery or microsurgery. The best treatment for your individual case depends on the type and severity of the disease, and can be discussed with your doctor.

  • Eye drops are used to reduce fluid production in the front of the eye or to help drain excess fluid, but can lead to redness, stinging, irritation or blurry vision. Patients should tell their doctor about any allergies they have to minimize the risk of side effects.
  • Laser surgery for glaucoma aims to increase the outflow of fluid from the eye or eliminate fluid blockages through laser trabeculoplasty, iridotomy or cyclophotocoagulation.
  • iStent is a new device that can be inserted at the time of cataract surgery. It adds minimal additional time to the surgery and does not alter the post-operative recovery period or drops. It also does not add any significant additional risk to the surgery. It is an excellent way to reduce the need for eye drops after cataract surgery.
  • Microsurgery involves a surgical procedure called a trabeculectomy, which creates a new channel to drain fluid from the eye and reduce the pressure that causes glaucoma. Surgery is often performed after medication and laser procedures have failed.

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How Can I Prevent Glaucoma?

While there are no surefire ways to prevent glaucoma from developing, regular screenings and early detection are the best forms of protection against the harmful damage that the disease can cause. While anyone can develop glaucoma, some people are at a higher risk for developing disease. These people may include those who:

  • Are over the age of 60
  • African Americans over the age of 40
  • Have a family history of glaucoma
  • Have poor vision
  • Have diabetes

Patients should have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once every two years, especially if they have a higher risk of developing glaucoma. Older patients may be encouraged to be tested more frequently.

Schedule a Consultation

To learn more about glaucoma and how you can be tested for this serious condition, please call us today to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors.

Additional Glaucoma videos

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