Starling Physicians Provides Warnings About Sight-Stealing Eye Disease

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the adult population in the United States. The frightening part is that half of those affected don’t even know they have it until the disease is far advanced. But according to the ophthalmology specialists at Starling Physicians Eye Center, early detection and treatment can prevent complete loss of vision.

“Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy which can be treated but never cured,” explains Dr. Martin Seremet, glaucoma specialist at Starling Physicians Eye Center, located in New Britain, Bristol, and Southington. “The good news is, the sooner it is detected and treated, the better the prognosis for minimizing damage to the optic nerve and retaining sight. If left undetected or untreated, it can result in blindness.”

During National Glaucoma Awareness Month in January, Dr. Seremet emphasizes the importance of a complete dilated eye exam. People with a strong family history of the disease, those of African, Asian, and Hispanic descent, people over 65, diabetics, and people who are severely nearsighted should be examined at an earlier adult age. Other risk factors are eye trauma and chronic steroid use.

For people with a family history of glaucoma, a baseline exam should be done and, if no glaucoma is detected, it should be repeated every couple of years. People without risk factors should have an eye exam every couple of years. After age 65, people should have eye exams once a year.

“The typical screening for glaucoma by just measuring intraocular pressure is largely ineffective” said Dr. Seremet. Even with normal eye pressure a patient may have glaucoma. “There is no substitute for a complete dilated eye exam. If glaucoma is suspected at that exam, then a complete glaucoma workup is instituted. ”

Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve, damaging nerve fibers and causing blind spots to develop. The optic nerve is made up of a huge number of nerve fibers that transmit the images we see to the brain. In many patients, the higher the pressure in one’s eye, the greater the chance of damage to the optic nerve over time.

However, there are many different types of glaucoma – some with high intraocular pressure and some with normal intraocular pressure. Chronic open-angle glaucoma damages vision so gradually and painlessly that the person is not aware of trouble until the optic nerve is already badly damaged. As much as 40% of the optic nerve fibers can be damaged before a visual field defect can be detected on standard visual field testing.

When eye pressure builds up suddenly, it is called acute angle-closure glaucoma. Symptoms may include blurred vision, severe eye pain, headache, rainbows or haloes around lights, as well as nausea and vomiting.

Treatment for Glaucoma:

• FDA-approved medications are intended to reduce elevated intraocular pressure and prevent damage to the optic nerve. Eye drops decrease eye pressure by helping the eye’s fluid to drain better and/or decreasing the amount of fluid made by the eye. Current glaucoma eye drop therapy includes: prostaglandin analogs, beta blockers, alpha agonists, and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.
• Laser treatment for open-angle glaucoma.
• When medicines and laser surgeries do not lower eye pressure adequately, a tiny drainage hole is made in the sclera (the white part of the eye) in a procedure called a trabeculectomy. The new drainage hole allows fluid to flow out of the eye and helps lower eye pressure. This prevents or reduces damage to the optic nerve.
• Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, or MIGS procedures are newer glaucoma treatments that can be used to treat milder stages of the disease. Some of the more common types involve the placement of a drainage tube or device inside the eye (i.e I-Stent and Cypass devices). Other types involve the use of internal lasers such as Trabecectome and Endocyclophotocoagulation (ECP).
• Transscleral diode cyclophotocoagulation (external laser) can treat severe end stage glaucoma.
• For patients having severe glaucoma with better visual potential, Dr. Seremet offers Micropulse diode lase (external laser) with a G6 probe.

“The bottom line is that glaucoma is a treatable cause of blindness with many treatment options available” concludes Dr. Seremet. “We encourage those people with risk factors, or those over age 65, to schedule a dilated eye exam that could save their sight.”

Starling Physicians was formed by the unification of Grove Hill Medical Centers and Connecticut Multispecialty Group. The practice is owned and led by physicians with a deep commitment to providing the highest quality care, while building enduring relationships with their patients. They provide primary and specialty care in over two dozen specialties in 30 locations across Connecticut. For more information visit www.starlingphysicians.com.