MARCUS A. EAST, M.D.
JOHN G. DODD, D.O.
RYAN W. LAPOUR, M.D.
ADAM T. SHUPE, O.D.
Testing for Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a disease affecting the optic nerve. There are a number of types of glaucoma, the most common being Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG). Sometimes, but not always, glaucoma may be associated with higher than normal pressure inside the eye.
What are some of the risk factors?
Risk factors for glaucoma include increasing age, a family history of glaucoma, diabetes and thinner-than-normal corneas. Glaucoma is a progressive disease, and is detected by observing structural changes to the nerve fibers and optic nerve at the back of the eye, as well as functional changes that can lead to blind spots the field of vision.
What do we focus on?
We conduct the following procedures to establish your risk of developing or having glaucoma, or to track the progression of existing glaucoma :
• Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) – Involves looking into a special camera. Similar to an ultrasound picture. Images of your retina, macula and optic nerve head, and the surfaces below, are taken. This takes a few minutes.
• Automated Perimetry (Humphrey visual field or HVF) – Involves looking forward and pressing a buzzer when you see a spot of light (bright or dim). This will test how sensitive your vision is in each area. The average time of the test is 20 minutes.
• Corneal Pachymetry (pachy) – This involves a temporary numbing eye drop and an very small ultrasound device touched to the center of the cornea (clear dome in the front of the eye) to measure the thickness. This takes a few minutes.
• Gonioscopy (gonio) – This involves numbing the eye with drops, a special contact lens placed directly on the eye and a beam of light used to illuminate the interior drainage system (anterior chamber angle).
655 Medical Center Dr. NE
Salem, Oregon 97301
503.581.5287
Fax 503.386.1377
mceyeclinic.com