Dr. John F. Blaylock, Ophthalmologist is pleased to announce the opening of a glaucoma clinic in his eye centre located at 5 corners in Abbotsford.

The glaucoma clinic is scheduled to open mid May and will be a screening, diagnosis and treatment centre for patients who are at risk of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular diseases.

The latest equipment will be installed to accommodate the screening and diagnostic tests required for assessment and treatment, assuring today’s advanced technology is available for all patients.

Dr. Zhaomin Si, MD, MS, OD will be assisting Dr. Blaylock with the glaucoma management and on-going care of patients. Dr. Si, an ophthalmologist from China, now a Canadian licensed Doctor of Optometry has a USA Fellowship, trained in glaucoma research has been working with Dr. Blaylock since 2004 as the director of clinical studies and research and has written several articles receiving publication. Dr. Si also speaks fluent English and Chinese.

Glaucoma is an eye disease caused by a build up of pressure in the eye. Often the patient has no symptoms until significant damage has occurred. If the intraocular pressure becomes significantly high, left untreated, this can result in damage to the optic nerve resulting in visual loss, caused by impaired drainage of the aqueous fluid out of the eye.

Elevated intraocular pressure leading to glaucoma may be present long before a patient notices any symptoms, such as visual loss. For this reason, early detection of the disease by measurement of intraocular pressure is a critical part of the comprehensive eye examination. If glaucoma is detected early, pressures can be reduced to normal or tolerable levels by medication or surgery, and the progression to blindness can be halted or significantly slowed.

A Visual Field test will be performed to show if you have early glaucoma or for those with glaucoma, it can determine if your glaucoma is controlled or if it is progressing.

Another advanced test, will be the Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph (HRT), uses a laser and computer to build up a three dimensional picture of the optic nerve and other structures in the back of the eye. This will be used to aid in the diagnosis and monitor possible progression of the disease and to assess the effect of your treatment.

This equipment will be available in the glaucoma clinic.

You may be at risk for developing glaucoma if you have any of the following factors:

Five important factors:

• Elevated intraocular pressures

• Over the age of 45

• Family history of glaucoma

• African or Hispanic/Latin descent

• Thinner central corneal thickness.

Other possible risk factors can be:

Nearsightedness, previous retinal detachment, previous trauma to the eye, diabetes, migraine headaches, ocular migraines, Raynaud’s syndrome, blood thickening, abnormal visual fields, unhealthy optic nerve.

For further information, contact your eye care physician to arrange a glaucoma screening or call our glaucoma information line at 604 850 0233.