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Thanks to new technology, doctors can now diagnosis glaucoma much earlier than before and, hopefully halt progession of this sight threatening disease in its earliest stages.

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. The good news is, with early detection, most people with glaucoma will have minimal vision loss. New imaging technology, which analyzes the nerve in the back of the eye, allows us to detect glaucoma in its infancy. TheGDx Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Analyzer photographs this nerve and analyzes its health . Comparing the patient's optic nerves with a database of thousands of known healthy eyes, broken down by race and age group, the computer determines the likelihood of glaucoma and generates a print out with a score. The physician uses this information and their examination of the eye to determine if glaucoma is present.The information generated by the GDx and the physicians exam is used to diagnose glaucoma long before the patient notices any symptoms. Since early detection and treatment are the key factors in preventing blindness from this disease, it is recommended that everyone over age 65 be examined annually and everyone over 40 be seen every two years o r annually if there is a family history of glaucoma.

Before the GDx, physicians depended on data from a visual field analyzer, a subjective test that took 20 or more minutes to complete, and required a patient to respond to hundreds of lights flashing before them. This test, while reliable, is time consuming and the outcome depends on the patient ability to respond quickly to the stimuli. This response is difficult for elderly patients, especially those with arthritis. Thus, it is somewhat subjective in nature. By contrast the GDx is fast, usually less than 5 minutes,and relies on objective data only, as no input is required from the patient. Also, it detects glaucoma earlier than the visual field test.

In the beginning, glaucoma is totally without symptoms. Without regular eye exams, as much as 50% of the optic nerve can be lost before a patient notices any defects in their vision. Damage from glaucoma is irreversible therefore, it is up to you to get routine eye exams and protect one of your most valuable assests, your sight.