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We Are A Glaucoma Center of Excellence

Glaucoma has been called “the silent thief of sight.” It is a complicated eye disease characterized by increased intraocular pressure (IOP), or pressure inside the eye, and subsequent damage to the optic nerve. Today, glaucoma is the second leading cause of permanent vision loss and even blindness in the United States and worldwide. Glaucoma affects two million Americans, and half of them are unaware they even have the disease. Glaucoma shouldn’t stand in the way of that.

We Are A Glaucoma Center of Excellence

Glaucoma has been called “the silent thief of sight.” It is a complicated eye disease characterized by increased intraocular pressure (IOP), or pressure inside the eye, and subsequent damage to the optic nerve. Today, glaucoma is the second leading cause of permanent vision loss and even blindness in the United States and worldwide. Glaucoma affects two million Americans, and half of them are unaware they even have the disease. Glaucoma shouldn’t stand in the way of that.

Glaucoma Symptoms

The most common symptom of both open-angle and chronic angle-closure glaucoma are slow changes to peripheral vision, but some patients might not have symptoms in early stages of disease.

Symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma can include:

  • Sudden, severe eye pain, accompanied by nausea and vomiting in some cases
  • Eye pressue
  • Blurred vision
  • Visual disturbances
  • Halos around light
Can Glaucoma be cured?

Although there is no cure for glaucoma, early intervention from our Denver glaucoma treatment experts can slow or stop progression and prevent blindness.

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Fellowship-Trained Experts

ICON’s Dr. Katie Goldhair is a board-certified ophthalmologist and fellowship-trained glaucoma treatment specialist. ICON Eyecare provides industry-leading care using the latest, advanced technology and techniques.

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Who is at risk for glaucoma?

Understanding risk is important for prevention and detection.

The following factors increase your risk of developing and are common glaucoma causes:

  • advanced age; glaucoma is most common over age 60
  • having a family history of glaucoma; you may be at higher risk if your parents or siblings have been diagnosed with the disease
  • having a history of eye trauma
  • certain anatomical issues in the eye, such as a thin corneas or sensitivity of the optic nerve
  • history of long-term use of prednisone or other corticosteroids
  • certain medical conditions, like hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, or diabetes

If you have more than one risk factor for glaucoma, be sure to share that with your eye doctor.

How is Glaucoma Treated?

Treatment options vary substantially depending on the type of glaucoma and the stage the disease is in. For many glaucoma patients, prescription eye drops are sufficient, but some patients will need systemic medications and/or glaucoma surgery. Our Denver glaucoma treatment doctors have extensive surgical experience with glaucoma patients of all types, and we are experts in minimally invasive glaucoma surgery.

ICON Eyecare glaucoma treatments include:

  • LPI: Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI) is a laser treatment for narrow angles, narrow angle glaucoma, and acute angle closure glaucoma. During LPI treatment, a laser is used to target the narrow angles between the iris and cornea in an attempt to widen them and increase fluid flow. This allows the eye to better regulate intraocular pressure.
  • iStent®: If you’ve been managing your glaucoma symptoms with medication, and also need cataract surgery, iStent Trabecular Micro-Bypass may be an ideal option for you. iStent is a tiny implant that’s helped thousands of people with glaucoma successfully manage their intraocular pressure and reduce or eliminate their need for hypotensive eyedrops. By taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity during cataract surgery, you can address both conditions at the same time.
  • SLT: Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a laser-enabled procedure to treat intraocular pressure (IOP) caused by open-angle glaucoma. Successful SLT treatment typically lasts anywhere from 1 to 5 years. Patients can undergo SLT surgery multiple times as needed. SLT may replace the need for glaucoma medication in some patients, but additional medications may still be needed in some cases.
  • CPC/ECP: Cyclophotocoagulation (cyclo-photocoagulation; CPC; or ECP if performed endoscopically) is an alternative glaucoma treatment most often used when glaucoma medication and other surgical treatment options do not lower intraocular pressure (IOP) as much as desired or required. These glaucoma cases are often referred to as ‘refractory,’ or stubborn and resistant to treatment.

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