What Is a Glaucoma Test and How Is It Performed?

With all the new technology and innovative tests available at your eye doctor’s now, there’s no reason you should ever develop irreversible glaucoma. The eye tests for glaucoma are painless and require no special preparations. You’ll receive glaucoma testing as a regular part of your routine eye exams, so schedule it today and prevent blindness with simple, easy-to-follow testing for glaucoma.

What Is a Glaucoma Eye Test?
A glaucoma test is a simple and painless procedure that measures the pressure inside your eyes and checks the health of your optic nerve. It’s one of the most effective ways to detect glaucoma, a group of eye diseases that can cause irreversible vision loss and blindness if left untreated. Glaucoma is more common in people with diabetes, as high blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels and nerves in the eyes.

What’s Involved in a Test for Glaucoma?
Glaucoma testing is a comprehensive eye exam that consists of several tests that measure different aspects of your eye health and vision. Testing for glaucoma is painless and noninvasive. A thorough glaucoma test may take about an hour to complete.

Depending on your eye condition and risk factors, best ophthalmologists may perform more than one test. Different eye tests for glaucoma proceed in unique ways, such as:

- Tonometry is the anchor test that measures the pressure inside your eye, also known as intraocular pressure (IOP). High IOP can indicate glaucoma or other eye problems. The test is done using a device that gently touches your eye or blows a puff of air onto it.

- Ophthalmoscopy requires your doctor to use eye drops to dilate your pupils and then look into a device that shines a bright light into your eye and magnifies your optic nerve. It examines the shape and color of your optic nerve, which is the part of your eye that transmits visual signals to your brain.

- Perimetry measures your visual field, which is the area of vision that you can see without moving your eyes because glaucoma can cause loss of peripheral vision. The test requires that you wear a patch over one eye and look into a device that flashes lights of different colors and intensities in your visual field. You press a button when you see the lights.

- Gonioscopy also requires that you get eye drops to numb your eye and then have a unique lens placed on your eye. The lens allows your doctor to see the angle between your iris and cornea.

- Pachymetry measures the thickness of your cornea, which is the clear front surface of your eye. The thickness of your cornea can affect the accuracy of your IOP measurement and your risk of developing glaucoma. The test is done using a device that touches your eye with a probe that emits sound waves.

- Gonioscopy evaluates the angle between the iris and cornea, the part of the eye that allows fluid to drain out. The test is done using a device that places a special lens on the eye and shines a light to see the angle.

Can Glaucoma Be Completely Cured?
This is an incurable condition. However, there are ways to slow down its progress and improve it. Glaucoma sufferers have various treatment and management options available to them, including medication, laser therapy, and surgery. Laser therapy for glaucoma works by opening the eye's fluid channels, enhancing drainage, and lowering intraocular pressure. It can be used as a substitute for eye drops or with medication.

The bottom line
Glaucoma is a severe eye condition that can lead to total blindness if left untreated. Regular glaucoma tests are essential to prevent irreversible damage to your eyesight. Early detection and treatment can slow down or stop the vision loss caused by glaucoma. Don't take any chances with your vision, especially if you have diabetes or other risk factors for glaucoma.