How do I Choose the Best Glaucoma Doctor?

If you have been diagnosed with glaucoma, it is important to find a doctor as soon as possible so that you can start treatment. One of the best ways to find a good glaucoma doctor is to ask your current eye doctor for a referral to someone who specializes in this field. You can also ask friends and family members who have dealt with this condition for a recommendation to a glaucoma specialist. Once you have at least one doctor in mind, you should find out whether he is up-to-date on the latest technology for diagnosing and treating glaucoma. Additionally, you should consider each doctor's history, as experience with this condition and a lack of medical malpractice suits are both important in choosing the best specialist.

Many standard eye doctors are not prepared to treat glaucoma, though they may run some initial tests to determine your chances of developing this eye condition. If you want the best treatment possible for this issue, you should ask your regular eye doctor for a referral to a glaucoma specialist, as most physicians know plenty of other doctors in their general field. You can also ask friends and family members for physician recommendations, as there is probably at least one person in your life who has been diagnosed with glaucoma or a similar eye condition. This method for choosing the best glaucoma doctor may even result in a list of doctors to avoid, which should at least help you narrow down your options.

Once you have shortened the list to a few doctors, you should either call or visit each one to determine whether you like any of them. One detail to ask about is the method of glaucoma diagnosis, as you should look for a glaucoma doctor that uses the latest technology. Some doctors still use outdated information, such as relying only on the results of tonometry to diagnose this condition since they still believe that intraocular pressure is the main sign of glaucoma. Look for a doctor that uses a battery of modern tests to accurately diagnose the issue, as this can be a sign that treatment will be just as efficient.

Finally, investigate the professional background of each doctor that you are considering. Using a glaucoma doctor who has several malpractice suits pending might not be the best idea. Fortunately, you can typically find such facts using websites that list the background information of each physician for free. Additionally, make sure that the glaucoma doctor you choose has several years of experience treating this condition. This should not only help you get the best treatment available, but should also offer you peace of mind.