Glaucoma care
Monitoring, drops, laser and surgery to slow glaucoma, with the same doctor reading your scans each visit.
- Checks
- Every 3 to 12 months
- Laser (SLT)
- About 10 min in the office
- Goal
- Slow damage, protect what you have
01 · Overview
How Glaucoma care works
Glaucoma damages the optic nerve, often without symptoms until vision is lost. Lost vision cannot be restored, so the goal of care is to slow or stop further damage, usually by lowering eye pressure.
We track your optic nerve with OCT scans, test your side vision, and measure pressure over time. Treatment can include drops, an in-office laser called SLT, or small surgical procedures, sometimes combined with cataract surgery.
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01
Baseline
Pressure, OCT of the optic nerve, visual field test and corneal thickness.
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02
A target pressure
Your doctor sets a goal based on your risk and your scans.
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03
Treatment
Drops, SLT laser, or a small procedure. Many people start with one and adjust.
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04
Regular checks
Glaucoma is long-term care. We watch for change and adjust early.
02 · Good fit?
Who Glaucoma care often suits, and who should wait
Often a good fit
- A glaucoma diagnosis or high eye pressure
- A parent or sibling with glaucoma
- Drops that are hard to use or cause side effects
- Planning cataract surgery with glaucoma, where both can be addressed
Maybe not, or not yet
- SLT: some types of glaucoma respond less well
- Surgery: early glaucoma that drops control well
Only an in-person exam can decide. These lists help you know what to ask. Your corneal map, prescription history and eye health decide. Try the self-check
03 · Risks and side effects
Said plainly, before you book
We describe how often things happen in words, not percentages, and we go through them again at your screening with your own measurements in front of us. No surgery is risk-free, and no one can promise a specific result.
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Common
Drop side effects
Red eyes, stinging, or eyelash and eyelid changes with some drops. Tell us; there are usually alternatives.
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Less common
SLT may not lower pressure enough
Or its effect may fade over years. It can sometimes be repeated.
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Rare
Pressure spike or inflammation after laser
Short term and checked at your follow-up.
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Rare
Surgical complications
Small glaucoma procedures carry risks like bleeding or low pressure. We review them case by case.
04 · Recovery
What the days and weeks after look like
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After SLT
Mild ache or blur for a day. Most people return to normal activity the same day.
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Weeks 4 to 8
Pressure check to see how well the laser worked.
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Every 3 to 12 months
Ongoing scans and field tests, even when you feel fine.
05 · Cost
Insurance billed
SLT laser self-pay $900 to $1,400 per eye
Glaucoma care is medical care, billed to Medicare or your insurance with your usual copays. If SLT is not covered by your plan, the self-pay range is $900 to $1,400 per eye.
Pricing, financing and FSA/HSAWhat your quote includes
- Glaucoma visits and tests, billed to insurance
- A written care plan with your target pressure
- Coordination with your optometrist if you prefer to see them between visits
Financing through outside lenders is subject to credit approval. Terms vary; you see them before you sign.
Can glaucoma be cured?
No. Treatment aims to slow or stop further damage. Vision already lost does not come back, which is why regular checks matter.
Can I still have LASIK with glaucoma?
Sometimes, but it needs careful planning and close coordination. Your screening covers this.
Also worth comparing
- Cataract surgery Usually people over 60 whose vision is cloudy, dim or full of glare. Insurance billed upgrades $1,200 to $4,000 per eye
- Dry eye care People with gritty, burning, watery or tired eyes, and anyone planning eye surgery. Evaluation insurance billed in-office treatments $250 to $1,200 per session
Free screening
Start with a proper look at your eyes.
A free 90-minute screening, a surgeon who reads the results with you, and a written quote per eye if surgery makes sense. If it does not, we will tell you that too.