The most important way to detect glaucoma is to look at the optic nerve and see if it appears damaged (dilated ophthalmoscopy exam). If an optic nerve looks healthy there is usually not a
problem unless your eye’s pressure (tonometry test) is elevated beyond normal.

If anything in your initial exam looks abnormal, we will often perform visual field tests, look at the drainage angle in the eye with a special lens (gonioscopy), check the thickness of your corneas (pachymetry) and take special photographs of your optic nerves.

Visual field tests are a good way to check for damage to your side vision and are used to follow for any changes over the years. In addition we have access now to scanning computer technology that can actually look at the health of
retinal and optic nerve tissue and can take images to follow for any loss of nerve tissue. An actual photograph of your optic nerve is also invaluable to have; this allows us to look for any structural changes to your optic nerve. If there is any change in the current exam from the photo, we know glaucoma is occurring and then treatment will need to be started or fortified.