Detecting Glaucoma

An eye doctor in Chicago can look for indicators of glaucoma during a comprehensive dilated eye exam. First, the ophthalmologist will apply special eye drops to each of your eyes. You’ll need to wait a few minutes for the drops to dilate your pupils, or enlarge them. When the pupils are dilated, the ophthalmologist can clearly see the optic nerve, macula, and retina. He or she will look for changes that can indicate glaucoma, such as changes in the shape or color of the optic nerve, or cupping of the optic disc.

To hear more about making a dilated eye exam part of your eye care routine, watch this video. You’ll see an animation that demonstrates how this exam is performed and what changes can occur when a patient has glaucoma. This video also discusses some of the risk factors associated with glaucoma and offers recommendations regarding how often patients should have a dilated eye exam.