Over 3 million Americans live with glaucoma, which means it’s essential to get regular eye checkups and exams. Without proper treatment, glaucoma can worsen with time, resulting in blindness. At Russell Micah Levine, MD, ophthalmologist Russel Levine, MD, offers individualized, attentive care for patients with glaucoma in Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan. To request an appointment, call the NYC office or use the online booking tool today.
Table of Contents
What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a general term used to describe various conditions that damage the optic nerve. Typically, the damage resulting from glaucoma develops because of unusually high eye pressure. There are other less common causes of glaucoma, and Dr. Levine is a professional in determining what type of glaucoma you may have.
Every person can suffer glaucoma, but it’s particularly prevalent in older adults. Actually, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in persons aged above 60 years. There is no cure for glaucoma, but with early diagnosis and care, it’s primarily treatable. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure people at risk of glaucoma receive regular testing.
There are various types of glaucoma. These include:
- Open-angle glaucoma.
- Angle-closure glaucoma.
- Normal-tension glaucoma.
- Glaucoma in children.
During your initial consultation, Dr. Levine will determine your diagnosis and develop the most suitable treatment plan.
How to Diagnose Glaucoma?
Dr. Levine performs the diagnosis for glaucoma through an extensive eye examination and cross-checks your medical history. As part of your exam, he also performs the following assessments:
Ø Inspects your drainage angle.
Ø Conducts an intraocular pressure check.
Ø Checks for areas of vision loss.
Ø Tests your visual fields.
If necessary, Dr. Levine also performs an optical coherence tomography test (OCT). The OCT test measures the thickness of your nerve’s fiber layer neighboring your optic nerve. This part of the optic nerve is most susceptible to heightened eye pressure.
How to Treat Glaucoma?
Dr. Levine offers treatments for glaucoma using individualized, compassionate care. Depending on your risk for glaucoma or your condition’s severity, he may recommend treatments with prescription eye drops to alleviate your eye pressure. If the eye drops do not make a huge difference, you may benefit from oral medications such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.
For some patients, Dr. Levine provides laser therapy as the initial treatment for glaucoma, or in addition to eye drops. The laser therapy uses an in-house laser beam to open the clogged channels in your trabecular meshwork- the drainage system in the front of your eye.
Testimonials & Reviews
Dr. Russell Levine values and appreciates patient reviews. To date, the private practice boasts a 4.95 out of 5 stars rating based on 38 collected reviews. To see what other patients are saying about Dr. Levine, visit the facility’s website.
To sum up, Russell Levine, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in comprehensive, compassionate care for a wide range of eye conditions. If you are worried about your risk of glaucoma, request an appointment at Russell Micah Levine, MD, by calling the office or use the online booking tool today.