Nahaufnahme des SLT-Lasers. Daneben Patientin und Augenarzt bei einer Glaukom (Grüner Star)Untersuchung mit SLT-Laser
Junger Augenarzt vermisst eine Auge einer älteren Patientin

Glaucoma (green star)

Prevention & surgery with Sanoculus

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Glaucoma, also known as glaucoma , includes a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve and can lead to blindness if left untreated . In most cases, increased eye pressure is responsible for this. This leads to symptoms such as visual field loss, deterioration of vision or

reduced contrast vision. Unfortunately, glaucoma often develops unnoticed, which is why early detection is so crucial. If diagnosed in time, we can treat glaucoma in our Sanoculus Eye Center with modern therapy methods.

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Sanoculus Ophthalmologists inform

How do I recognize glaucoma symptoms?

In the early stages of glaucoma, those affected hardly notice any symptoms. Initially, the sensitive photoreceptors in the retina die. This damage can only be detected with modern diagnostics and does not yet have any effect on vision.

In the advanced stage, the optic nerve is also affected, which transmits visual information from the photoreceptors to the visual center in the brain. At this point at the latest , there is a deterioration in vision with visual field defects andimpaired contrast vision.

Our brain is able to compensate for visual disturbances by combining the visual information of both eyes into an overall picture. As a result, visual defects are only noticed very late. Depending on the form of glaucoma, glaucoma symptoms can also vary:

Primary open-angle glaucoma

Typical of this form is epithelial edema, in which water collects in the outermost and middle layer of the cornea. When looking into light sources, those affected then see colored circles or courtyards or simply as if through a fog.

Glaucoma attack (acute glaucoma)

Typical symptoms of this form of glaucoma are a one-sided red eye, a hard eyeball with slight pressure on the closed eye, an unresponsive, medium-wide pupil, eye pain and visual disturbances.

Primary (congenital) congenital glaucoma:

This form of glaucoma is congenital and becomes noticeable in affected infants when they tear more frequently, are sensitive to light and cramp their eyelids.

Secondary glaucoma:

Secondary glaucoma likes to disguise itself as primary open-angle glaucoma or glaucoma attack because it comes with similar symptoms. However, it can also cause other symptoms.

Why is early detection
of glaucoma so important?

Anyone can develop glaucoma. The risk increases with age and increases from the age of 40. Therefore, we recommend early and regular check-ups at the Sanoculus Eye Center, especially if glaucoma has already occurred in the family. As soon as those affected notice the first symptoms, the death of the optic nerve can no longer be reversed – without the right therapy, the eye disease leads to blindness. Therefore, the goal of therapy is always to prevent the progression of glaucoma.

Prevention and early detection are elementary and the only way to prevent glaucoma. During the examination, our specialists measure not only the intraocular pressure, but also the corneal thickness and perform an endoscopy of the fundus of the eye and, if necessary, a visual field examination.

Glaucoma diagnosis:
Good prospects for stabilization

For the diagnosis of glaucoma, we measure the intraocular pressure with an applanation tonometer – the normal pressure is about 10 to 21 mmHg. However, the measurement of intraocular pressure alone is not sufficient for the diagnosis of glaucoma. That is why we use other modern examination methods to obtain reliable evidence of glaucoma disease.

Another possibility for diagnostics is measurement with the help of pneumotonometry . This includes the visual field, the recording and measurement of the optic nerve with the OCT as well as the measurement of corneal thickness (pachymetry). A deviation from the average corneal thickness can falsify the measurement.

Sanoculus Focus:

Laser treatment in the Sanoculus Surgical Centers Berlin

Augenarzt erklärt älterer Patientin etwas im Gespräch

If the eye pressure values do not decrease despite eye drops or the drops are not tolerated, glaucoma can be treated surgically with SLT and CPC lasers or by glaucoma surgery (trabeculectomy ). All laser surgeries can be

on an outpatient basis in our surgical centers at Elsterplatz and in Spandau . In advanced glaucoma, surgery may also be necessary. Glaucoma surgeries such as trabeculectomy or the insertion of implants (e.g. iStents) are possible with us on an outpatient basis.

Ältere Dame gibt sich selbst Augentropfen in das rechte Auge

Glaucoma can be treated with
different methods

Glaucoma is usually initially treated with eye drops. This form of therapy usually has to be carried out regularly throughout life. The eye drops can either reduce the formation of eye fluid or improve the outflow resistance of the trabecular meshwork or have other starting points such as the protection of nerve cells (neuroprotection).

Frequently asked questions about glaucoma

Typical symptoms of glaucoma are visual field loss, deterioration of vision or reduced contrast vision. An acute increase in eye pressure is manifested by red eyes, eye pain and headaches, deterioration of vision and nausea. However, this form is rare. Other forms are often not noticed because the increase in pressure is painless and visual field defects tend to develop slowly. An ophthalmologist diagnoses glaucoma by measuring eye pressure and examining the visual field and fundus of the eye. Imaging techniques such as OCT, which create a 3D image of the optic nerve, are used to ensure a reliable diagnosis.

Yes, because glaucoma is particularly insidious because those affected do not notice any symptoms at the beginning. However, if a patient then comes to the ophthalmologist with deteriorating vision due to glaucoma, the damage to the optic nerve can no longer be reversed. The goal of therapy is then to stop the progression of the disease. Without prevention and early detection, many patients come to the ophthalmologist too late.

Intraocular pressure (IOP) is the pressure inside the eye that must be continuously built up and regulated by the eye. It is necessary to keep the soft eye in its almost round shape. For the regulation of intraocular pressure , so-called aqueous humor is produced, which is released inside the eye and drains out of the eye at certain points.

Glaucoma and cataracts are very different diseases with no similarities. In cataracts , the lens clouds over with age, becomes gray and increasingly opaque. The patient has the impression of seeing through a fog, everything becomes washed out and blurred and the sensitivity to glare increases sharply. The patient notices the progressive deterioration in vision himself and goes to the ophthalmologist. After cataract surgery, the patient can often see surprisingly well again. In glaucoma, the onset is often without symptoms and also affects younger people. Nerve structures in the eye are damaged and deficits in the field of vision are the later result. If the patient notices this, the damage to the optic nerve is already well advanced and cannot be reversed. The aim of the therapy is to preserve the remaining vision and prevent the threat of complete blindness.

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For medical colleagues:

Patient referral for eye operations

Patientin beim Augenarzt am Empfang

Are you looking for specialists for eye surgery in Berlin for your patients? If you would like to refer your patient to us, please register them for our consultation hours. Please include any previous findings (hospital letters, old FLAs or OCTs etc.) directly.
This way we can avoid unnecessary duplicate examinations.

Telephone agreement under:

(030) 403 660 301

OP-Center Sanoculus Elsterplatz Kissinger Str. 1 14199 Berlin

OP-Center Sanoculus Spandau Wilhelmstr.
23a 13593 Berlin

Sanoculus Roseneck ophthalmology practice Rheinbabenallee 12 14199 Berlin

Sanoculus ophthalmology practice Charlottenburg Paulsborner Str. 2 10709 Berlin

Ophthalmology Practice Sanoculus Kurfürstendamm Kurfürstendamm 115B 10711 Berlin

Sanoculus Haselhorst ophthalmology practice Burscheider Weg 11G 13599 Berlin

Sanoculus Steglitz ophthalmology practice Albrechtstr.
99 12167 Berlin

Sanoculus Rudow ophthalmology practice Köpenicker Str. 184 12355 Berlin