Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in the United States and is often detected in older adults. The good news is that loss of vision is preventable if the disease is detected, and treatment begins early enough.

Glaucoma affects the optic nerve which carries images to the brain. The higher the pressure in the eye, the greater the opportunity is for the optic nerve to be damaged. High pressure cannot be felt but is measured with a special instrument called a tonometer which is a part of every routine eye exam at Jarvi MD Eyecare.

Be aware that glaucoma rarely has symptoms before it affects vision. This is the reason that routine eye exams are critical. Early detection is the key to preventing vision loss or blindness from glaucoma.

Glaucoma can often be treated with eye drops taken several times a day. Laser surgery may be used for glaucoma and sometimes surgery is performed if the eye drops do not control the pressure.

For more information on glaucoma please visit:

• Glaucoma Research Foundation
• American Glaucoma Society
• The Glaucoma Foundation

If you have any questions or wish to schedule a consultation, please call our office at 231.348.3600. We look forward to hearing from you.