Glaucoma Treatment in Clarksville

Glaucoma Treatment in Clarksville

Don’t Let Glaucoma Rob You of Your Sight

(931) 645-0346

What Is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness.

It's caused by fluid build-up and increased pressure within the eye that damages the optic nerve that progressively worsens your vision. This disease can cause severe, irreversible vision loss if left untreated.

In many cases, appropriate control and treatment can help prevent further damage to the eyes and protect your vision. Clarksville Eye Clinic offers several treatments to help address glaucoma. Learn more about the treatments we provide and contact us to schedule an appointment.

Glaucoma diagnosis


The 2 Main Types of Glaucoma

grandfather wearing glasses holding his granddaughter

  • Open-angle glaucoma: the most common type. It is a lifelong condition that accounts for at least 90% of all glaucoma cases.
  • Angle-closure glaucoma: a rare form of the disease which requires immediate medical attention. It occurs when the angle is closed in many or most areas between the iris and cornea, which reduces fluid drainage and increases eye pressure.

Glaucoma: The Sneaky Thief of Sight

There is a reason glaucoma is called “the sneaky thief of sight”--half the people with glaucoma don’t even know they have it! Meaning, they may not have symptoms in the early stages.

At Clarksville Eye Clinic, we diagnose and help preserve your vision with cutting-edge glaucoma treatments that can slow the progression of the disease.

If you have a family history of glaucoma or have been diagnosed with glaucoma, contact us today.

optometrist in Clarksville


What are the Signs of Glaucoma?

glaucoma signs

As mentioned earlier, glaucoma usually shows no symptoms in its early stages. When signs do manifest, it's usually loss of tunnel vision or peripheral vision. Unfortunately, by the time vision loss has occurred, it cannot be reversed.

That said, the less common angle-closure glaucoma does show a sudden onset of symptoms, including:

  • Extreme eye pain
  • Eye redness
  • Blurred vision
  • Nausea

If you experience any of these symptoms, seek prompt diagnosis and treatment by contacting Clarksville Eye Clinic in Clarksville or visiting your nearest emergency room.


Who's at Risk for Glaucoma?

  • Age 40 +

    The prevalence of glaucoma increases with age, with most glaucoma patients aged 40 and up. That said, there is a much rarer form of this disease (congenital glaucoma) that affects infants.

  • Family History & Ethnicity

    Your risk for developing glaucoma is higher if you have a family history of the disease. Those of African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American, and Indigenous Canadian descent have a higher risk of developing this disease.

  • Other Conditions

    High myopia, hypertension and diabetes can increase the risk of developing glaucoma.

  • Eye Injury or Trauma

    An eye injury, trauma or eye surgery can increase the likelihood of developing glaucoma.


Common Glaucoma Treatments

There is currently no cure for glaucoma. However, several treatments are available to prevent the progression of this sight-robbing condition. With the right care, you have a higher chance of managing your glaucoma and preserving your vision.

Common treatments include:

Eye Drops

Your optometrist will prescribe eye drops to help regulate pressure inside the eye by decreasing fluid production and/or improving drainage.

Laser Surgery

If eye drops aren’t doing enough to reduce intraocular pressure or intraocular temperature in open-angle glaucoma, laser surgery may be an option. Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) opens up the drainage system in the eye to reduce pressure.

SLT is successful in 80% of cases and can reduce eye pressure by 20%.

Other Surgeries

If a laser procedure or eye drops do not lower eye pressure to the desired level, your eye doctor may recommend one of the following surgeries:

  • Incision Surgery
  • Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS)
  • Glaucoma Drainage Implants

Glaucoma Testing Treatment FAQs

How does an eye doctor diagnose glaucoma?

Since glaucoma has no side effects early on, it is essential for people with a family history of risk factors for glaucoma to get tested. The following tests diagnose glaucoma:

  • Tonometry: measures the pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure or IOP)
  • Ophthalmoscopy (dilated eye exam): examines the shape and color of the optic nerve
  • Perimetry: measures your field of vision
  • Gonioscopy: checks the angle where the iris meets the cornea
  • Pachymetry: determines the thickness of the cornea to better evaluate eye pressure.
What foods should you avoid if you have glaucoma?

The following are the foods every glaucoma patient should consider avoiding immediately. It should help keep your optic nerve healthy and minimize eye pressure.

  • Caffeine - certain studies show that caffeine contributes to increased intraocular pressure.
  • Saturated fats - a diet high in saturated fats can lead to weight gain, which not only increases intraocular pressure but also cholesterol levels.
  • Trans fats - try to limit your consumption of trans fats because they can also raise cholesterol levels
  • Salt - make sure to consume salt sparingly, as increased blood pressure can indirectly lead to intraocular pressure.
What percentage of glaucoma patients go blind?

About 60% of patients diagnosed with glaucoma will eventually lose some vision.

However, the rate of legal blindness among glaucoma patients is 5%. Getting effective treatment early on will greatly increase your ability to preserve and maximize your vision.

Patient Reviews
4.9
1236 Reviews
5
4
3
2
1
- Oct. 08, 2024
This place is awesome. highly recommended
- Oct. 02, 2024
This is the best eye clinic around. They are very kind and helpful. Dr. Drew is the best!
- Oct. 02, 2024
Dr. Drew and his staff are always extremely professional and helpful.
- Sep. 28, 2024
Love it
- Sep. 25, 2024
I love this Eye Clinic they have helped me so much, they are friendly, caring and efficient as well!... ! they found my glaucoma, helped me deal with it and get it under control !! such an amazing practice and they have great frame selection for purchasing new frames as well !!
- Sep. 20, 2024
First time there, Dr Drew and staff were awesome, it was a great experience!
- Sep. 17, 2024
Doctor Drew is the areas best Optometrist…
- Aug. 31, 2024
Absolutely wonderful people. Dr. Davis is the best. I Absolutely recommend going here for all your e... ye care needs.
- Jul. 23, 2024
Dr.Mattew Drew is very friendly and helpful.highly recommended
- Jul. 23, 2024
Dr Drew is very professional and friendly great place .
- Jul. 08, 2024
Appointment went smoothly as usual. Selection for new glasses was helpful. New glasses were ready fo... r picknup in 1 week.
- Jul. 01, 2024
(Translated by Google) The staff is very friendly and efficient, Dr. Matthew Drew is very kind and a... nswers all your questions. I definitely recommend this place. (Original) El personal muy amable y eficiente, el doctor Matthew drew muy amable y te resuelve todas tus dudas definitivamente recomiendo este lugar
- Jun. 27, 2024
I highly recommend this eye clinic. Dr Drew and his staff are wonderful. He took time to explain all... my eye test results in detail and easy to understand.
- Jun. 25, 2024
Today I had my first appointment and my experience was excellent. All the staff was very nice, howev... er my English is not perfect and I could understand everything they said to me. I highly recommend this clinic.
- Jun. 24, 2024
Everyone was very friendly and super helpful. Great customer service and value.
- Jun. 23, 2024
Very friendly staff. Very professional,been going there for over 15 yrs
- Jun. 23, 2024
Great optometrist! We only get one set of eyes. I trust Dr. Drew to take care of mine!
- Jun. 16, 2024
Very nice helpful staff and Dr. Drew is great.
- Jun. 12, 2024
A great experience. We were treated like family and had all our questions answered.
- Jun. 10, 2024
From the first call to schedule my initial appt to picking up my contacts, everyone was so nice and ... professional! They had me in and out in a very reasonable time. Dr. Davis was great! Very nice, thorough, patient, and made me feel very comfortable.

View All 1236 Reviews

Glaucoma Diagnosis & Treatment in Clarksville

Our optometry practice in Clarksville

Photograph of Adam  Beaubien
Hours
  • Monday 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Tuesday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Wednesday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • VSP
  • Medicare
  • United Healthcare
  • Cigna
  • Spectera
  • Superior Vision
  • Davis Vision
  • EyeMed
  • Blue Cross
  • United Health Care Community Plan
  • Aetna

glaucoma surgery

Don’t lose sight of your future.

With early detection and treatment, glaucoma can be controlled.

(931) 645-0346