MAKE AN APPOINTMENT: For our Commonwealth office, please call (617) 262-2020 or email eyecare-commonwealth@neco.edu. For our Roslindale office, call (617) 323-7300 or email eyecare-roslindale@neco.edu.

At NECO Center for Eye Care, we specialize in providing comprehensive and advanced glaucoma care. Our team of highly trained optometrists employs the latest diagnostic technologies and treatment methods to manage and treat glaucoma effectively. We are committed to preserving our patients’ vision and enhancing their quality of life through personalized care plans tailored to each individual’s needs. By focusing on early detection and ongoing management, NECO Center for Eye Care ensures that patients receive the best care to maintain their ocular health.

What is glaucoma?
Female patient being examined at NECO Center for Eye Care - RoslindaleThe optic nerves behind your eyes transmit signals from your retina to your brain, making them essential for clear vision. Glaucoma encompasses degenerative eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, often due to abnormally high pressure in one or both eyes. This pressure leads to irreversible vision loss over time.

How can I tell if I have glaucoma?
Glaucoma usually develops gradually without early symptoms, making it hard to detect without an eye exam. Symptoms vary depending on the type of glaucoma.

  • Open-angle glaucoma
    The most common form, open-angle glaucoma, often doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms. People may notice patchy blind spots in their peripheral or central vision, and tunnel vision can occur.
  • Acute angle-closure glaucoma
    This type causes eye pain, severe headaches, redness, and recurring halos around lights. Other forms of glaucoma, such as normal-tension glaucoma, congenital glaucoma, traumatic glaucoma, and secondary glaucoma, can also lead to gradual vision loss.

How Is glaucoma treated?
Diagnosis begins with a thorough examination, including a visual field test for peripheral vision loss and an optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging test to assess retinal damage. Eye pressure tests are also standard.

Based on the findings, the optometrist will develop a personalized treatment plan. This may involve prescription eye drops that:

  • Increase the outflow of eye fluid and reduce pressure (prostaglandins)
  • Decrease eye fluid production and reduce pressure (beta blockers)
  • Both reduce eye fluid production and increase fluid outflow (alpha-adrenergic agonists)

Occasionally, oral medications called carbonic anhydrase inhibitors are used to reduce eye pressure further. Severe cases may require surgical intervention, including laser therapy, trabeculectomy, electrocautery, and drainage tube procedures.

We invite you to contact us to make an appointment for an evaluation.