Glaucoma Technology

By Dr. Dennis Francis

Early diagnosis is the key to the successful management of glaucoma.  The goal of treatment is to slow or to stop the progression of vision loss because there is no cure for glaucoma.  Careful monitoring of eye pressure, visual field, optic nerves, the nerve fiber layer of the retina, and more is critical.  Iowa EyeCare is proud to provide patients with the very latest glaucoma-management technology.

Most often, glaucoma can be managed with eye-pressure lowering eye-drop medications.  Sometimes more than one medication is needed.  Glaucoma medication eye-drops are almost always used indefinitely.  Therefore,  once glaucoma has been detected and medications have been prescribed it is important to keep taking the medication so that no further vision loss or glaucoma-progression occurs.  Regular follow-up appointments are important to make sure that the glaucoma treatment is still working.

In some severe cases eye drops alone are not able to lower the eye pressure.  In these cases, surgical intervention may be necessary.  Two major types of glaucoma surgery exist.  The least invasive is a laser that increases the outflow of fluid from the eye through the angle between the iris (colored aperture)  and the sclera (structural white wall of the eye).  Filter surgery is occasionally performed as a last-resort and involves cutting into the eye.

Early detection of glaucoma cannot be over-stressed.  Call Iowa EyeCare in Cedar Rapids, Marion, or Robins, Iowa at 319-377-2222 or contact Iowa EyeCare online.

Learn more about glaucoma and other eye conditions at www.iowaeyecare.com.

Optice Nerve with Glaucoma

By Dr. Dennis Francis

Glaucoma is an eye condition that causes damage to the optic nerve (the cord that transmits information from the eye towards the brain).  Glaucoma damage to the optic nerve causes permanent vision loss for millions.  Glaucoma affects people of all ages, races, and genders.  Early glaucoma is void of symptoms and the only way to help prevent glaucoma from causing permanent vision damage is to have your eyes examined annually.

High eye pressure is the number one indicator for glaucoma.  At Iowa EyeCare, eye pressure is measured using Goldmann tonometry during every annual examination.  Goldmann tonometry, the “gold standard”,  is far more accurate than air-puff measurements.

The diagnosis of glaucoma is not based on eye pressure measurements alone.  Visual field, scanning-laser analysis and optic-nerve observation are also crutial elements for the diagnosis of glaucoma.  At Iowa EyeCare you will have access to the very best glaucoma diagnosis technology in Iowa.

Please contact us at any time to schedule an appointment.  You may also call Iowa EyeCare at 319-377-2222.

By Dr. Ryan Nelson

Did you know that every eye is unique and could be used to identify individuals.  This uniqueness of the eye is similar to a fingerprint.  The retinal blood vessels enter the back of the eye through an opening in the optic nerve (the cord that takes visual information from the eye toward visual center in the brain).  The retinal blood vessels extend throughout the back, inside-surface of the eye in a branching tree-like pattern.  Every eye has a unique blood vessel pattern, which should stay the same throughout ones lifetime.

Your retinal blood vessels should be viewed every year by an eye doctor.  The eye doctors at Iowa EyeCare use these blood vessels as clues for diagnosing conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other whole-body diseases.  In these instances, and many others, such as retinal detachment, glaucoma and macular degeneration, the inside of the eye can change slightly in its appearance.

Iowa Boer Meat Goat

The use of retinal scans for identification is not widely practiced.  For livestock, however, these scans are commonplace.  In fact, 4-H meat goats, sheep and beef cattle are scanned when individuals intend to show them for the Linn County Fair and Iowa State Fair.  This practice ensures that the same animal being raised and shown, and that no switching of animals has occured.