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Glaucoma Screening

What Is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is often called the “silent thief of sight,” and the name is well earned. It is a group of conditions that damage the optic nerve the cable that carries what you see from your eye to your brain. This damage is frequently caused by raised pressure inside the eye, though not always. The most important thing to understand is this: vision lost to glaucoma cannot be recovered. It can only be halted. That is why glaucoma screening in Lagos is not something to delay it is the single most reliable way to protect your sight before damage begins. The cruelty of glaucoma is that it usually causes no pain and no early symptoms. By the time you notice gaps in your vision, the disease has often been progressing quietly for years.

Glaucoma in Nigeria A Real and Growing Concern

Glaucoma is a particularly serious issue for people of African descent. Research consistently shows that primary open-angle glaucoma occurs more frequently, develops earlier, and progresses more aggressively in African populations than in many other groups. [Clinic to confirm and cite the specific Nigerian or African prevalence study referenced.] For families in Lagos and across Nigeria, this means regular screening from the age of 40 or earlier with a family history is not optional caution. It is a genuine sight-saving measure.

Types of Glaucoma

Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma The most common form. It develops slowly and painlessly.

Angle-Closure Glaucoma Can come on suddenly and is a medical emergency requiring immediate care.
Normal-Tension Glaucoma Optic nerve damage despite normal eye pressure.
Secondary Glaucoma Caused by another condition, injury, or medication.
Congenital Glaucoma Present from birth or early childhood.

Risk Factors

You are at higher risk of glaucoma if you:

Are aged 40 or over
Have a family history of glaucoma
Are of African descent
Have raised eye pressure
Live with diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease
Are severely short-sighted or long-sighted
Have had a previous eye injury
Use steroid medication long-term

Symptoms and Why You Often Don’t Notice Them

In its early stages, open-angle glaucoma typically has no symptoms at all. There is no pain, no redness, and your central vision stays sharp. Peripheral vision is lost first, so gradually that the brain fills in the gaps. By the time you become aware of a problem, significant and permanent damage has usually already happened. This is precisely why screening not waiting for symptoms is the only meaningful protection.
Angle-closure glaucoma is different: sudden severe eye pain, headache, nausea, blurred vision and halos around lights need emergency attention immediately.

Our Glaucoma Screening Process

A glaucoma screening at IrisCare is thorough, painless, and usually completed in a single visit:

Patient history review: Including family history and risk factors.
Intraocular pressure measurement (tonometry): Measures the pressure inside your eye.
Optic nerve examination (ophthalmoscopy): Looks directly at the optic nerve for signs of damage.
Visual field testing (perimetry): Maps your peripheral vision to detect early blind spots.
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT): A detailed scan of the optic nerve fibres that can detect loss before it affects your vision.
Pachymetry: Measures corneal thickness, which affects how pressure readings are interpreted.

What Happens If Glaucoma Is Suspected?

If your screening raises any concern, we will not leave you anxious or in the dark. Your optometrist will explain the findings clearly, refer you to a trusted ophthalmologist for confirmation and treatment, and talk you through the options, which may include eye drops, laser treatment or surgery. We then work alongside your specialist to monitor your eyes over the long term.

The Importance of Early Detection

It bears repeating, because it is the whole point: glaucoma damage is irreversible. Treatment can stop it getting worse, but it cannot restore what is already lost. A simple, painless screening today protects the sight you will depend on for the rest of your life.

Who Should Be Screened?

All adults over 40 annually
Adults over 35 with a family history annually
Anyone living with diabetes annually
Anyone with a previous eye injury
Patients using long-term steroid medication

HMO Coverage

Glaucoma screening is covered under many of the HMO plans we accept. Confirm your specific cover before your visit. Check Your HMO.