GLAUCOMA
THE SILENT CAUSE OF BLINDNESS
WHAT IS GLAUCOMA
Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, which is essential for good vision. This damage is often caused by abnormally high pressure in the eye (intraocular pressure). Glaucoma can lead to loss of vision and is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60. However, blindness from glaucoma can often be prevented with early treatment.
Glaucoma is often not picked up until there is irreversible damage to your vision. This is why it’s essential to have regular eye tests, especially if you have a family history of Glaucoma. There are 3 main types of Glaucoma and these are:
Open-Angle Glaucoma: The most common form, where the eye does not drain fluid as well as it should, much like a clogged drain, leading to a gradual increase in eye pressure. This type of glaucoma develops slowly and is a lifelong condition.
Angle-Closure Glaucoma: This type occurs when the iris bulges forward to narrow or block the drainage angle formed by the cornea and iris. As a result, fluid can’t circulate through the eye and pressure increases abruptly. It is considered a medical emergency and can cause blindness if not treated promptly.
Normal-Tension Glaucoma: In this condition, the optic nerve becomes damaged even though the eye pressure is within the normal range. The exact reason for optic nerve damage in normal-tension glaucoma is not yet fully understood.
HOW CAN GLAUCOMA BE TREATED?
Glaucoma treatment focuses on lowering the pressure in the eye (intraocular pressure) to prevent further optic nerve damage. Treatments include:
Medications: Eye drops are often the first step in treating glaucoma. These can help reduce eye pressure by improving fluid drainage or by decreasing the amount of fluid the eye makes.
Laser Treatment: For open-angle glaucoma, laser treatment can help fluid drain out of the eye. For angle-closure glaucoma, it can create a hole in the iris to improve fluid drainage.
Surgery: Various surgical procedures can create a new drainage channel for the eye fluid to leave the eye, reduce fluid production, or remove tissue to allow better fluid drainage.
Early detection through regular eye exams is crucial because symptoms often don’t appear until significant damage has occurred. Treatment can slow or prevent further vision loss but is not able to restore vision already lost to glaucoma.
HOW CAN OUR OPTOMETRISTS DETECT GLAUCOMA?
At Abra & Co. Opticians, we understand your eyes are precious. We perform over 12 different assessments of your eye health to analyse and understand exactly what your eye health looks like. Our Optometrists will check and measure your anterior angle, the intraocular pressures with an accurate machine and examine the back of your eyes with both a direct ophthalmoscope and with a special lens called a Volk lens. This allows us to have a look at the back of your eyes in 3D so we can understand the shape of your optic disc, the size, colour and C/D Ratio – all these are important metrics when checking the eye health.
We then also take a photograph of the back of your eyes as well as doing an OCT scan. The photograph allows us to compare each eye and pick up any differences. We’re also able to add different coloured filters to assss your eye health in even greater depth. We then use our OCT machine to assess your corneal thickness and anterior chamber too. This is done for all routine eye tests as standard.
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU IF YOU HAVE GLAUCOMA?
By making sure that you are under the hospital regularly, and having regular eye tests. Many of our patients feel they can ask our Optometrists questions far more openly and receive the advice they need, instead of asking their Consultants at the hospital.
Your vision is precious so we go through every step in a detailed, methodical way to give you the best vision possible that helps protect your sight.
Patients Reviews
The Highest Rated InDEPENDENT Opticians in Middleton
Brilliant service very friendly staff and a no rush service Really informative and helpful when reviewing and selecting a new pair of glasses would highly recommend
Brilliant service from an incredible team. Very professional, highly recommended.
Came in and was assisted by Aaron. Overall, great experience. He was helpful, patient and provided a large assortment of options. The “style guide” was useful in helping come to a decision since I can be indecisive with glasses. Highly recommended.
My daughter has come here for the last 6 months and on several visits they have been so welcoming and nothing is ever a problem to any staff member that has been on shift when we've attended. Our journey for my 2 year old getting her first pair of glasses was so worrying and I was full of anxiety for the full process and they sorted us out immediately and couldn't have recommended a better company to take us through the full process of this. I have been seen by James i think and another male staff member who have both been amazing with us and so patient with our 2 year old that cannot sit still! I will be coming here myself when im due for my glasses too! Amazing service and I always recommend to everyone around me!
Many thanks to Abra & Co. I greatly appreciate the time that they spent helping me select the perfect glasses. The staff are friendly, informative and knowledgeable. I'll be returning for years to come.
Absolutely fabulous, professional and friendly always looking after me would recommend them
I’ve been using this practice for many years now and would highly recommend it. The staff are always very friendly and go above and beyond especially Arron and James. Nothing is ever too much trouble and they make you feel well looked after. My optician today was Fatima who was very thorough and explained my results and scans with professionalism. They have a large selection of frames to choose from in every colour possible and to fit every budget, from designer to basic frames. The staff tell you what frames suit your face shape and they will also give an honest opinion if the glasses don’t suit you which is very important to me.
The best eye test I’ve ever had. Customer service is second to none. Nothing I’ve had in the past compares. Would recommend to anybody reading this, you will not be disappointed.
Thankyou so much to James for helping me find my new amazing glasses - highly recommend this personal service at Abra & Co 😊
I have been a customer here for years now. I haven't had a bad experience. The staff are always courteous friendly and efficient. Their style is more a kin to a family run business than most. The staff are knowledgeable in thier respective fields too. I would recommend thier services without hesitation.
Excellent options for the family especially my son with special needs they make him feel comfortable and confident...always help when needed..very friendly
Great experience at Abra. Professional, caring and friendly staff. I had help choosing my new glasses which I’m really pleased with. I would certainly recommend them.
I have been a loyal customer of my previous optician for 40+ years, but, due to his retirement, I was very nervously seeking a replacement; how lucky I was to find Abra & Co. Aaron and the team, welcomed me as if I had been a valued customer for many years, their friendly, knowledgeable and professional approach, immediately put me at ease. I look forward to being a client of there's for many years to come.
I stumbled upon this opticians while walking through town and decided to pop in to ask about signing up for me and my wife. Honestly, the whole experience was amazing—nothing like I’ve experienced before! I left with a pair of Ray-Ban Meta glasses for myself and can say for sure I’ll be coming back for my next pair of Oakley Meta. Super happy with the service and the glasses!
Absolutely excellent service and friendly. The customer service is also excellent.
Very friendly staff explain everything . They are brilliant 😎
I came here 3rd October 2025 On arrival I was met with friendly faces and offered a hot drink. My preference was tea and it was lovely There’s welcome chocolates on the front desk and I felt a million dollars before I’d even had my eye test. James was really lovley and helped me pick the right glasses/frame that suited me best. He brought out a range of different frames so I had plenty of choice aswell. Definitely recommend to all whether you live close or not it’s worth the travel. Can’t wait to see my new glasses Be back soon 🙂
Came in today because my sunglasses has become too big. I must say I didn’t buy them from here but a very helpful member of staff said he would fix them for me at no charge to myself I would highly recommend this Opticians 😎
I have just had my new glasses fitted from Abra and Co opticians Middleton. I was given excellent friendly service. I love the new colourful glasses that I chose. Thank you so much. Joyce Ryder
Really friendly staff, they get the job done and a very comfortable environment. Easy to access on the main road and not too busy
Lovely staff, caring and very professional, I would not change my opticians.
Amazing customer service & experience, had eye test & found the perfect pair of glasses, had them fit perfectly. The choice of glasses are great aswell was hard to choose however they gave me advice on shapes and colours that suited me
Excellent professional service and they gave me an immediate appointment when I had a problem with my eye.
Honestly the best opticians I’ve been to! The team is so welcoming and accommodating, from day one they’ve taken the time to get to know me and my partner. The team always remember the little details from our last visit - which just makes all the difference. 100% would recommend they have a fantastic selection of frames available and spent the timely patiently helping me select the right glasses and then fitting me for contact lenses!! Thank you so much guys!!!
I've been looking everywhere for Tom Ford that I really like. They ordered them from Italy. With in 2 weeks I was wearing my new glasses which I love. This is the best opticians I have ever visited. Returning after Christmas for a different pair. 5 stars all the way.
Excellent service. Very professional .sohail and James were really friendly and professional. First rate service as always. I even got offered a cuppa!
Cannot rate Abra & Co. highly enough. Firstly, they make you feel at ease, and with a no rush policy, they stand out from 'the rest'. By far the most thorough eye examination I have had of late. And secondly, the staff are there to help with everything involved in your experience and will go that 'extra mile' for you. Needless to say, highly recommend 👌
The refurbished premises are very smart and calming. The staff were excellent and very thorough. Everyone took their time to explain everything so that I could easily understand. 5 stars 😊
Just had my annual eye test. First class professional service.
Very thorough eye test and so helpful with choosing the correct lenses and frames to suit my needs.
Very good experience. Really polite staff. Would recommend.
Always friendly and welcoming. Very efficient and easy access to everything.
Professional, friendly and efficient service. I feel I can trust the staff here too
Abra and co. are absolutely brilliant, very professional and extremely friendly. Highly recommend.
What an amazing place this is !! From the moment you walk in you know you’re going to be in safe hands . Aaron is so helpful and patient and Abra the optician is the same kind thorough and you just know the service you’re getting is second to none. If you need glasses it definitely is a place to visit !!
Fantastic service with such friendly staff. Nothing is too much trouble for them. Thank you for looking after my daughter and I, she loves her glasses
Great opticians, very easy to speak to and very informing of about my eye health.
As a new patient to Abra, the whole experience was a delight.
Couldn't have had a better experience. Very detailed and thorough examination and the follow up was likewise really helpful in enabling me to make a decision from a full range of possibilities. I really valued the time staff were prepared to give. Thoughly nice people. Couldn't ask for more and I am really pleased with the new glasses. Thank you.
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