Glaucoma tests

glaucoma tests

Glaucoma tests are medical exams doctors use to check the eyes for damage from glaucoma, a group of conditions that can harm the optic nerve and lead to vision loss. These tests look at different parts of eye health, including pressure inside the eye, how the optic nerve looks, and how wide a person's field of vision is. Common exams include pressure measurement, visual field testing, imaging scans of the optic nerve and the retina, and inspections of the drainage angle and cornea. Each test gives a piece of the puzzle: pressure measurements help find elevated eye pressure, visual fields reveal blind spots, and imaging shows structural changes that may occur before symptoms appear. Doctors usually combine results from several tests rather than relying on a single reading to make a diagnosis or track disease over time. These exams matter because early detection and monitoring let doctors treat glaucoma before it causes permanent vision loss. Treatment can slow or stop progression with eye drops, lasers, or surgery, but it is much less effective once significant nerve damage has already occurred. Glaucoma tests are generally safe and painless, although some may involve bright lights, brief eye pressure, or numbing drops. People at higher risk—such as older adults, people with a family history, or those with certain medical conditions—should have regular testing. If tests suggest glaucoma or find worrisome changes, follow-up testing and treatment decisions are made to protect the person's remaining vision.