Diagnosis, monitoring, and surgery
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, yet it is completely manageable when it's caught early. If it runs in your family, you're over 40, or your eye doctor found high pressure, a specialized evaluation can protect your vision for decades.
About the condition
Glaucoma is a group of diseases that progressively damage the optic nerve, usually linked to elevated eye pressure. It's known as the silent enemy because it causes no pain and no early symptoms: peripheral vision fades away gradually, and by the time a patient notices, the damage is already permanent.
Open-angle glaucoma accounts for 90% of cases. Other forms include angle-closure glaucoma (which needs immediate attention), normal-tension glaucoma (with normal pressure), and congenital glaucoma. The most vulnerable groups are people over 60, people of African descent over 40, and anyone with a family history of glaucoma.
At Centro Láser we have a department dedicated to glaucoma, with every diagnostic test under one roof: tonometry, pachymetry, Humphrey visual field testing, optic nerve OCT, gonioscopy, and for special cases, ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and iCare Home monitoring (measure your eye pressure from home).
Treatment follows a step-by-step approach based on severity. We start with pressure-lowering eye drops; when those aren't enough, we move to laser procedures (SLT, YAG laser iridotomy); and for advanced cases we offer surgeries like trabeculectomy, drainage implants (Ahmed or Baerveldt valves), and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS).
Conditions we treat
Each condition has its own symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. If you recognize your symptoms in one of them, we can help.
Accounts for 90% of cases. Slow blockage of the eye's natural drainage system raises eye pressure silently, without pain or early symptoms. Peripheral vision loss is gradual, and by the time you notice it, it's already permanent.
A less common but potentially urgent form. Sudden blockage of drainage raises eye pressure within hours. Left untreated, it can cause permanent vision loss in a day or two.
Progressive optic nerve damage with eye pressure that stays within the normal range. It takes specialized testing (optic nerve OCT, visual field testing) to catch. Treatment focuses on lowering pressure even further to slow the damage.
Present from birth or appears in the first years of life. It's rare but hereditary. Early detection in infants and young children is critical to prevent permanent damage to a still-developing optic nerve.
Before and after
Slide the bar to compare. Glaucoma advances silently, taking peripheral vision first, which is why many people notice the damage only when it is irreversible.
Indications
You don't have to wait. Treatment is considered as soon as one or more of these signs appear.
You're 40 or older with a family history of glaucoma
Your eye doctor found elevated eye pressure during an exam
You've noticed loss of peripheral vision or a "narrowing visual field"
You have diabetes, high myopia, or a history of long-term steroid use
You've already been diagnosed with glaucoma and want specialized care
Advanced procedures
Treatment follows a step-by-step approach based on severity, from pressure-lowering drops to surgery with drainage implants, tailored to each patient.
Advanced Surgery for advanced glaucoma or when drops and laser aren't enough. Trabeculectomy, drainage implants, and MIGS, chosen based on your case.
Outpatient A selective laser that improves drainage in the eye. Used as a first-line option or an alternative when eye drops alone aren't controlling your eye pressure.
Preventive Creates a microscopic channel in the iris to relieve pressure. Used for angle-closure or narrow-angle glaucoma, often as prevention for at-risk patients.
Your recovery
Visual recovery is quick. We're with you at every post-op check until you're discharged.
After an SLT or YAG laser iridotomy, you can resume normal activities the next day. Mild inflammation, if any, is controlled with drops.
24hAfter trabeculectomy or a drainage implant, we follow you closely to confirm your pressure is coming down and healing is progressing normally.
Weeks 1-4Glaucoma is managed, not cured. Checkups every 3 to 6 months with visual field testing and OCT confirm the optic nerve isn't taking on further damage.
Ongoing managementWhat sets us apart
Four concrete reasons to trust the health of your eyes to this team.
Fellowship-trained glaucoma specialists, not general ophthalmologists. Dedicated visits built around the long-term management of your case.
Approved iCare Home devices let you measure your eye pressure from home. Useful for catching spikes that a single office visit won't capture.
Tonometry, pachymetry, gonioscopy, optic nerve OCT, Humphrey visual field testing, and UBM. No referrals to outside centers.
Pressure-lowering eye drops, SLT, YAG laser iridotomy, MIGS, trabeculectomy, and drainage valves. We tailor treatment to each case.
Diagnostics
Every pre-surgical study in one place, without ever leaving the center.
Medical team
Meet the team who will handle your evaluation, surgery, and follow-up.
How to book your visit
We designed every step so you reach your treatment plan without unnecessary detours.
By WhatsApp, form, or phone. Within 24 hours we confirm the day, time, and specialist at the location you prefer.
24 hA complete eye exam with your specialist. We talk through your history, symptoms, and what you want to achieve.
45 minWhatever your case calls for, done inside the center and often during the same visit.
Same dayYour doctor walks you through options, costs, and next steps. You decide with clear information.
Next stepsCoverage
Most plans cover surgery with standard options. Premium options may require a copay.
Resources
Patient guides reviewed by our specialists.
Glaucoma damages your vision silently and permanently. Learn what it is, its warning signs, who is at risk, and why early detection changes everything.
Read more →
How is glaucoma treated? Learn what eye drops, laser, and surgery can and can't do, and why starting early protects your vision the most.
Read more →Frequently asked questions
No, glaucoma can't be cured. Vision lost to glaucoma doesn't come back. With timely treatment, though, we can preserve the vision you still have and slow the progression of optic nerve damage. That's why early detection matters so much: the sooner it's diagnosed, the more vision you keep long-term.
Because in its most common form (open-angle glaucoma, 90% of cases) it causes no pain and no early symptoms. Vision loss starts in your peripheral field and progresses so gradually that most patients don't notice it. By the time clear symptoms show up, the damage to the optic nerve is already significant and permanent. That's why annual eye exams after age 40 matter so much, especially if glaucoma runs in your family.
At Centro Láser, we run the full evaluation in a single visit: tonometry (eye pressure measurement), pachymetry (corneal thickness, critical for interpreting your real pressure), gonioscopy (examination of the drainage angle), optic nerve OCT (structural analysis of the optic nerve), and Humphrey visual field testing (functional assessment of your field of vision). In special cases, we add UBM or iCare Home for at-home pressure monitoring.
Yes. Normal-tension glaucoma exists, where the optic nerve is progressively damaged even though eye pressure stays within the normal range. It's caught through structural (optic nerve OCT) and functional (visual field) testing. If your eye doctor found changes in your optic nerve without high pressure, you need a specialized glaucoma evaluation.
Treatment follows a step-by-step approach based on severity. We start with daily pressure-lowering eye drops, which control pressure in most patients. When those aren't enough, we move to outpatient laser procedures: SLT (selective laser trabeculoplasty, which improves your eye's natural drainage) or YAG laser iridotomy (for narrow or closed angles). For advanced cases, we offer surgery: trabeculectomy, drainage implants (Ahmed or Baerveldt valves), or MIGS (minimally invasive glaucoma surgery).
Laser procedures (SLT, YAG laser iridotomy) are outpatient, painless with topical anesthesia (drops), and let you resume normal activities the next day. Incisional surgeries (trabeculectomy, drainage valves) require local anesthesia plus sedation, with close follow-up in the first few weeks to confirm your pressure is coming down and healing is progressing well. Full functional recovery takes about 4 to 6 weeks.
Yes, family history is one of the main risk factors. If your parents, siblings, or children have glaucoma, your own risk is significantly higher. We recommend an annual eye exam starting at age 30 (earlier if you have a direct family history), including eye pressure measurement and an optic nerve check.
Because glaucoma is a chronic, progressive disease: optic nerve damage can keep advancing even with treatment if pressure isn't well controlled. Checkups every 3 to 6 months include periodic tonometry, visual field testing, and OCT to confirm your treatment is working. Catching progression early lets us adjust treatment before you lose more vision.
iCare Home is an approved portable tonometer that lets you measure your own eye pressure from home, at different times of day. It's useful because eye pressure fluctuates throughout the day, and a single office visit can miss spikes. In patients with normal-tension glaucoma or suspected fluctuations, this monitoring helps guide more precise treatment decisions.
Locations
An evaluation with a fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist. One hour of complete testing to confirm your diagnosis, stage, and treatment plan.
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