Glaucoma Treatment
Serving Sunset Park, Brooklyn | Flushing and Long Island City, Queens
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of vision loss in the United States and one of the most treatable when caught early. The specialists at NY Partners Ophthalmology, including Sophia Siu, MD, offer comprehensive glaucoma care, from routine monitoring to minimally invasive surgical procedures, for patients across New York City.
What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, the critical connection between your eye and your brain. In most cases, this damage is caused by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Because glaucoma develops slowly and silently, often with no pain or obvious symptoms in the early stages, it is sometimes called the "silent thief of sight." By the time a patient notices changes in their peripheral vision, significant damage may already have occurred.
Glaucoma Symptoms
Open-angle glaucoma, the most common form, typically produces no symptoms in its early stages. As the condition progresses, patients may notice:
Gradual loss of peripheral (side) vision
Tunnel vision in advanced stages
Halos around lights
Blurred vision
Acute angle-closure glaucoma, a less common but more urgent form, can cause sudden symptoms including severe eye pain, headache, nausea, blurred vision, and halos, and requires immediate medical attention.
Glaucoma Risk Factors
Certain factors increase the likelihood of developing glaucoma:
Dry eye becomes more common after age 50, as tear production naturally decreases
Family history of glaucoma
Age: risk increases significantly after 60 (and after 40 for individuals of African descent)
Race: African Americans have a higher risk of open-angle glaucoma; Hispanic Americans have a higher risk as they age
Thin corneas
Diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease
High myopia (nearsightedness) or farsightedness
Prior eye injury or surgery
Long-term corticosteroid use
Glaucoma Diagnosis
A comprehensive glaucoma evaluation at NY Partners Ophthalmology includes:
Tonometry: measuring intraocular pressure
Ophthalmoscopy: examining the optic nerve for signs of damage
Visual field testing: assessing peripheral vision
Optical coherence tomography (OCT): imaging the optic nerve and retinal nerve fiber layer in detail
Pachymetry: measuring corneal thickness, which affects IOP readings
Gonioscopy: examining the drainage angle of the eye
Glaucoma Treatment Options
Glaucoma cannot be reversed, but its progression can be slowed or stopped with the right treatment. The goal is to lower intraocular pressure and protect the optic nerve from further damage.
Medications: Prescription eye drops are typically the first-line treatment. They reduce IOP either by decreasing fluid production or improving drainage.
Laser treatments: Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) and laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) are in-office procedures that improve fluid drainage and lower pressure with minimal recovery time.
Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS): For patients who need more than medication or laser therapy, Sophia Siu, MD, offers MIGS procedures, a newer generation of surgical techniques that lower IOP through very small incisions, with significantly less risk and recovery time than traditional glaucoma surgery. MIGS is often performed in combination with cataract surgery.
Traditional surgery: In advanced cases, procedures such as trabeculectomy or glaucoma drainage implants may be recommended.
NY Partners Ophthalmology serves patients in Flushing, Queens; Sunset Park, Brooklyn; and Long Island City. We accept most major insurance plans, and our providers speak Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Cantonese, and Fuzhounese.
Request an AppointmentNY Partners Ophthalmology provides comprehensive glaucoma care, including monitoring, laser treatments, and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), to help protect patients’ vision. Glaucoma care is available at the practice’s Flushing, Brooklyn, and Long Island City, NY locations.
NY Partners Ophthalmology ofrece atención integral para el glaucoma, incluyendo monitoreo, tratamientos con láser y cirugía de glaucoma mínimamente invasiva (MIGS), con el objetivo de proteger la visión de los pacientes. La atención para glaucoma está disponible en Flushing, Brooklyn y Long Island City.
NY Partners 眼科 提供完整的青光眼診斷與治療服務，包括定期監測、雷射治療及微創青光眼手術（MIGS），協助延緩病情進展並保護視力。青光眼治療於法拉盛（Flushing）、Sunset Park（布魯克林）及 Long Island City（LIC）三個院區皆有提供。
NY Partners Ophthalmology는 환자의 시력을 보호하기 위해 정기적인 상태 관찰, 레이저 치료, 최소침습 녹내장 수술(MIGS)을 포함한 종합 녹내장 진료를 제공합니다. 녹내장 진료는 플러싱, 브루클린, 롱아일랜드시티에서 받을 수 있습니다.