If you have a history of glaucoma in your family, then it is wise to have your eyes checked often for the disease. Examinations can be completed by your optometrist or you may want to see a more experienced ophthalmologist if more advanced tests are suggested. There are a number of tests that are scheduled, so keep reading to learn about a few of them.
Eye Pressure Test
Eye pressure tests are the most common of the glaucoma tests and they are completed routinely by optometrists and ophthalmologists. The test is called tonometry and it involves a machine called a tonometer. The device is placed in front of the eye while you look straight ahead and a small puff of air is released towards your eye. When the puff placed pressure on the eye, resistance is measured. This resistance is used to measure eye pressure in millimeters of mercury or mm Hg.
Typically, a diagnosis of glaucoma can be made if eye pressure exceeds 20 or 22 mm Hg. However, your eye professional will also look at past values to see how recent tests compare. There is some variation when it comes to eye pressure and what is considered normal for each person. This is one reason why it is so important to have pressure measured on a yearly basis.
If eye pressure is high and seems as though it is elevated in relation to your normal readings from the past, then other tests will be scheduled to look into the matter further.
Perimetry Test
You probably already know that glaucoma affects vision negatively. This is one reason why you are tested for the disease in the first place. So, if there is a chance that you have glaucoma, your eye doctor will want to know if your vision has been affected at all. And, a test called a perimetry test is completed to evaluate your visual field. Basically, it shows where you can see objects clearly and where you cannot see them.
The testing is completed with the use of a light that is moved around in front of the eyes. This light will move to the front, side, upper edge, and lower edge of the visual field. If you see the light, you must indicate that you notice it.
Once the test is complete, your eye doctor can create a map of the visual field and determine if the periphery has been compromised, since this is common when glaucoma develops.
If you want to know more about glaucoma and how a physician will use different tests to diagnose the disease, speak with an eye professional, such as at Leader Heights Eye Center.
Share27 September 2018
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