Glaucoma Treatment in Bolivar
What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness.
It's caused by fluid build-up and increased pressure within the eye that damages the optic nerve that progressively worsens your vision. This disease can cause severe, irreversible vision loss if left untreated.
In many cases, appropriate control and treatment can help prevent further damage to the eyes and protect your vision. Bolivar Vision Care offers several treatments to help address glaucoma. Learn more about the treatments we provide and contact us to schedule an appointment.
The 2 Main Types of Glaucoma
- Open-angle glaucoma: the most common type. It is a lifelong condition that accounts for at least 90% of all glaucoma cases.
- Angle-closure glaucoma: a rare form of the disease which requires immediate medical attention. It occurs when the angle is closed in many or most areas between the iris and cornea, which reduces fluid drainage and increases eye pressure.
Glaucoma: The Sneaky Thief of Sight
There is a reason glaucoma is called "the sneaky thief of sight"--half the people with glaucoma don't even know they have it! Meaning, they may not have symptoms in the early stages.
At Bolivar Vision Care, we diagnose and help preserve your vision with cutting-edge glaucoma treatments that can slow the progression of the disease.
If you have a family history of glaucoma or have been diagnosed with glaucoma, contact us today.
What are the Signs of Glaucoma?
As mentioned earlier, glaucoma usually shows no symptoms in its early stages. When signs do manifest, it's usually loss of tunnel vision or peripheral vision. Unfortunately, by the time vision loss has occurred, it cannot be reversed.
That said, the less common angle-closure glaucoma does show a sudden onset of symptoms, including:
- Extreme eye pain
- Eye redness
- Blurred vision
- Nausea
If you experience any of these symptoms, seek prompt diagnosis and treatment by contacting Bolivar Vision Care in Bolivar or visiting your nearest emergency room.
Who's at Risk for Glaucoma?
-
Age 40+
The prevalence of glaucoma increases with age, with most glaucoma patients aged 40 and up. That said, there is a much rarer form of this disease (congenital glaucoma) that affects infants.
-
Family History & Ethnicity
Your risk for developing glaucoma is higher if you have a family history of the disease. Those of African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American, and Indigenous Canadian descent have a higher risk of developing this disease.
-
Other Conditions
High myopia, hypertension and diabetes can increase the risk of developing glaucoma.
-
Eye Injury or Trauma
An eye injury, trauma or eye surgery can increase the likelihood of developing glaucoma.
Common Glaucoma Treatments
There is currently no cure for glaucoma. However, several treatments are available to prevent the progression of this sight-robbing condition. With the right care, you have a higher chance of managing your glaucoma and preserving your vision.
Common treatments include:
Eye Drops
Your optometrist will prescribe eye drops to help regulate pressure inside the eye by decreasing fluid production and/or improving drainage.
Laser Surgery
If eye drops aren't doing enough to reduce intraocular pressure or intraocular temperature in open-angle glaucoma, laser surgery may be an option. Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) opens up the drainage system in the eye to reduce pressure.
SLT is successful in 80% of cases and can reduce eye pressure by 20%.
Other Surgeries
If a laser procedure or eye drops do not lower eye pressure to the desired level, your eye doctor may recommend one of the following surgeries:
- Incision Surgery
- Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS)
- Glaucoma Drainage Implants
Glaucoma Testing Treatment FAQs
Since glaucoma has no side effects early on, it is essential for people with a family history of risk factors for glaucoma to get tested. The following tests diagnose glaucoma:
- Tonometry: measures the pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure or IOP)
- Ophthalmoscopy (dilated eye exam): examines the shape and color of the optic nerve
- Perimetry: measures your field of vision
- Gonioscopy: checks the angle where the iris meets the cornea
- Pachymetry: determines the thickness of the cornea to better evaluate eye pressure.
The following are the foods every glaucoma patient should consider avoiding immediately. It should help keep your optic nerve healthy and minimize eye pressure.
- Caffeine - certain studies show that caffeine contributes to increased intraocular pressure.
- Saturated fats - a diet high in saturated fats can lead to weight gain, which not only increases intraocular pressure but also cholesterol levels.
- Trans fats - try to limit your consumption of trans fats because they can also raise cholesterol levels
- Salt - make sure to consume salt sparingly, as increased blood pressure can indirectly lead to intraocular pressure.
About 60% of patients diagnosed with glaucoma will eventually lose some vision.
However, the rate of legal blindness among glaucoma patients is 5%. Getting effective treatment early on will greatly increase your ability to preserve and maximize your vision.
Glaucoma Diagnosis & Treatment in Bolivar

- Monday Closed
- Tuesday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Wednesday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Saturday Closed
- Sunday Closed
- 1199 SEIU Funds
- 20/20 Eyecare Network
- 44 North
- AAA
- AARP
- AARP Medicare Complete
- AARP Supplement Plans
- ADN Administrators
- Advantage Care
- Advantica
- Aetna
- Aetna Medicare
- Aetna Better Health
- Affinity Health Plan
- Aflac
- Alignment Healthcare
- All Savers Insurance
- Allegiance
- Alliance Health
- Allways Health Partners
- Aloha Care
- AlwaysCare
- Ambetter
- Superior Health Plan
- Ameriben
- American Benefit Corporation
- American National
- Amerigroup
- Amerihealth
- Amerihealth Caritas
- Ameritas
- Anthem
- Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Anthem HealthKeepers Plus
- APWU Health Plan
- Arizona Pipe Trades
- ASR Health Benefits
- Assurant health
- Asuris Northwest Health
- Auxiant
- Avera
- Avesis
- AVMed
- Bankers Life
- Banner Health
- Baylor Scott & White health
- BCBS Federal Employee Program
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Illinois
- Beech Street
- Block Vision
- BCN Advantage
- Blue Care Network Michigan
- BlueCare Tennessee
- Blue Choice Health Plan SC
- Blue Cross
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Arkansas
- Highmark Bluecross Blueshield
- Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield NJ
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts
- BCBS Michigan
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Texas
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage
- Blue Cross Idaho
- Blue Shield Of California
- Blue Shield of Northeastern New York
- Blue View Vision
- Blue Care
- Boilermakers National Funds
- Boon Chapman
- Boston Medical Center Health Net Plan
- BPA Benefits Plan Administrators
- Brand New Day
- Bravo Health
- Cal Optima
- Canada Life
- Chamber Of Commerce
- Capital Blue
- Care Credit
- Care Improvement Plus
- Care First
- Careington Solutions
- Caresource
- CDPHP
- Centene
- CGS
- Champva
- Chip
- Choice Care Network
- Child Health Plan Plus
- Christus Health Plan
- Cigna
- Cigna Vision
- Claimsecure
- Clover
- CNIC Health Solutions
- The Co-Operators
- Coast To Coast Vision
- Colonial Life
- Colonial Penn
- Commonwealth Care Alliance
- Community Eye Care
- Community Health Choice
- Community health group
- Community Health Options
- Community Health Plan
- Community Care
- Compbenefits
- Connecticare
- Conseco
- Consumers Mutual
- CoreSource
- Coughlin
- Coventry Health Care
- Cover Kids
- Custom Design Benefits
- Davis Vision
- Delaware First Health
- Desjardins
- Devon Health Services
- Devoted Health Plans
- DMBA
- ebms
- EHIM
- Emblem Health
- Emi Health
- Empire BCBS
- The Empire Plan
- Envolve Benefits Options
- Equitable Life Of Canada
- Essence Healthcare
- Excellus
- Express Scripts
- EyeBenefits
- Eyecare International
- Eyefinity
- EyeMed
- EyeQuest
- Eyetopia
- Fallon Health
- Farm Bureau
- FCE Benefits
- FEP Blue Vision
- Fidelis Care
- First Carolina Care
- First Choice Health
- First Health
- Fiserv
- Florida Blue
- Front Path
- GEHA
- Geisinger
- GHI
- Ghi Emblem Health
- Global Health
- GMS
- Golden Rule
- GPM LIfe
- Great West Healthcare
- Green Shield Canada
- Group Health Benefit Solutions
- Guardian
- HAP
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
- Health Alliance Insurance
- Health Ez
- Health First
- Health Link
- HMA
- Health Net
- Health New England
- Health Partners
- Health Plan Nevada
- Health Plans Inc
- Health Plus
- Health Care Solutions Group
- Health Choice
- Health Comp
- Health EOS
- Healthgram
- Healthscope
- Health Smart
- Cigna Health Spring
- Healthy Blue
- HIP - Healthy Plan Indiana
- Heritage Vision Plans
- Hip
- HMSA
- Humana
- Humana Medicare
- Humana Military
- Husky Conneticut Insurance Eye Doctor
- iCare Health Solutions
- Imagine Health
- IMPERIAL HEALTH HOLDINGS
- IA Independence Administrators
- Independence Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Independent Health
- IEHP Inland Empire Health Plan
- INTEGRATED HEALTH PARTNERS
- Johnson
- Johnston Group
- JP Farley
- Kaiser Permanente
- KanCare
- thekemptongroup
- Key Benefit Administrators
- Keystone Health Plan East
- La Care
- Labor and Industries
- Lhi
- Liberty Mutual
- Lifewise
- Lincoln Financial Group
- LiUNA
- Loma Linda University Health
- Louisiana Healthcare Connections
- Magnacare
- Manhattan Life
- March Vision Care
- Martins Point Health Care
- Mass General Brigham Health Plan
- Mass Health
- Maximum Benefit
- McLaren Health Plan
- MD Wise
- MECA
- Blue Cross Medavie
- Med Ben
- medcost
- Medi-Cal
- Medica
- Medicaid
- Washington Apple Health Medicaid
- Texas Medicaid Healthcare Partnership (TMHP)
- Medical Mutual
- Medicare
- Pacific Source
- Providence Health Plan
- Medicare Part B
- scan health plan
- Memorial Care
- Memorial Hermann Health Insurance Company
- Meridian Insurance
- Meritain Health
- MESVision
- MetLife
- Mail Handlers
- MHS
- Midlands Choice
- MN Department of Human Services
- Mo Health Net
- MODA
- Molina Healthcare
- MultiCare
- Multiplan
- Mutual Assurance
- Mutual Health Services
- Mutual Of Omaha
- MVP Health Care
- National Association Of Letter Carriers
- National Rural Letter Carriers' Association
- National Vision Administration (NVA)
- Nationwide
- NECA
- Neighborhood Health Plan
- Network Health
- Nbn
- Nyship
- Oklahoma Complete Health
- Soonercare
- Opticare
- Opticare Vision
- Optima Health
- Optim Healthcare
- Optum
- Insurance Oscar
- Oxford
- Pacific Blue Cross
- Palmetto GBA
- Paramount
- PEHP Health & Benefits
- PERLMAN MEDICAL GROUP
- Personal Choice
- PHCS
- PHP
- Physicians Eyecare Plan
- Physicians Health Plan
- Physicans Mutual
- Pomco
- Ppo Plus
- Preferred One
- Premera Blue Cross
- Premier Eye Care
- Premier Provider Network
- PRIMARY CARE ASSOCIATES
- Principal
- Principal Financial Group
- Priority Health
- Prospect Medical
- Pvcs
- Qualcare
- Railroad Medicare Beneficiaries
- REGAL MEDICAL GROUP
- Regence
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Regence
- Regence Group Administrators
- RWAM Insurance
- Safeguard
- Sanford Health
- Secure Horizons
- Secure One
- Security HealthPlan
- Select Care
- Select Health
- Senior Whole Health
- Sentara
- Sight Care
- Solstice
- South Dakota Medicaid
- Southland Insurance
- Spectera
- Standard Life
- Starmount
- State Farm
- Stirling Benefits
- Summa Care
- Summit Healthcare
- Sun Life Financial
- Superior Vision
- Surest
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters
- Telus Health
- TennCare
- Texas Department Of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services
- Texas Star
- True Choice
- The Hartford
- The Health Plan
- Thrivent
- TransAmerica
- Tricare
- Tricare for Life
- TRICARE PRIME
- TriWest
- Trustmark
- Tufts Health Plan
- UCare
- UFCW
- UHA Health Insurance
- UMR
- UMWA Health Fund
- Unicare
- Uniform Medical Plan
- United American Insurance Company
- UFT
- United Healthcare
- United Health Care Community Plan
- United Healthcare Medicare Advantage
- Unity Health Insurance
- Univera
- Unum Vision
- Upper Peninsula Health Plan
- UPMC Health Plan
- US Family Health Plan
- US Health Group
- USHL
- Veterans Affairs
- VA COMMUNITY CARE
- Varipro
- VBA
- Versant Health
- Vision Care Direct
- Vision Plan of America
- Vision Screening
- VSP
- Viva Health
- VSP Individual Vision Plans
- VSP Premier Edge
- WEA Trust
- Webtpa
- Healthcare Highways
- Wellcare
- Well Care Health Plans
- Wellcare Medicare
- Wellmark
- WellMed
- Wellpoint
- WPS Health Insurance
Don't lose sight of your future.
With early detection and treatment, glaucoma can be controlled.

