Des Moines Eye Surgeons is the first local practice to use new OCT Nerve Fiber Analyzer for early glaucoma detection.

It's often called the "silent thief of sight." Of the three million Americans with glaucoma, only about half are aware they have it.  Glaucoma has lost some of its elusiveness in the Des Moines area with a new glaucoma diagnosis system -- the OCT Nerve Fiber Analyzer -- now being used at Des Moines Eye Surgeons.  The OCT provides a quick and accurate evaluation of the nerve fiber layer (the tissue directly affected by glaucoma) and detects early stages of glaucoma, allowing earlier treatment of the disease.

"The new OCT is amazing because it uses a scanning laser to measure the thickness of the optic nerve, enabling the eye M.D. to detect glaucoma earlier than ever before," says E. Michael Sarno, M.D, an ophthalmologist for Des Moines Eye Surgeons.  The Des Moines Eye Surgeons is the first and only eye care practice in the Des Moines area to offer this type of advanced technology to patients.

Glaucoma is a disease that causes irreparable damage to the nerve fiber layer. It's the transparent tissue covering the back of the eye forming the optic nerve -- the 'cable' that carries visual messages to the brain.  When nerve fibers are damaged, the result is vision loss.  Most glaucoma victims are not diagnosed until symptoms develop -- and that is often too late for effective treatment.

Treatments for the disease include eye drops to reduce pressure on the optic nerve and traditional or laser surgery.  The sooner the treatment is performed, the better the chance of saving the eyesight.  Most Americans are tested for glaucoma by having the test which checks eye pressure.  But elevated pressure is not found in as many as 50 percent of glaucoma patients.

"The OCT doesn't use information about pressure or vision loss to determine the presence of glaucoma," says Bradley D. Hammer, M.D., an ophthalmologist for Des Moines Eye Surgeons.  "Instead," Hammer says, "it looks at the health of the nerve fibers in the back of the eye, which other tests cannot do."

An exam with the revolutionary OCT is painless. Pupil dilation is usually not necessary, and the machine never touches the eye. The test is objective, meaning that the patient is not required to interpret visual images in order to have a valid, accurate test.

During the exam, a safe, invisible laser scans the back of each eye to analyze nerve fibers and transmits an image in less than one second.  The images are then processed by a computer that "maps" the nerve fibers, instantly comparing them to a database of healthy, glaucoma-free patients.  Each comparison is matched with someone of the same race, gender and ethnic background.  The physician then reads the image and is instantly able to detect if there are early signs of glaucoma.  The images can be saved on the computer to document and compare future changes.  The entire process takes about 10 minutes.

This new testing method is especially good news for those at high risk of glaucoma, including:

• Persons over age 50
• African-American over age 30
• Persons with a history of glaucoma
• Persons with diabetes
• Long-term steroid users
• Persons who are very nearsighted

Those at a higher risk for glaucoma should be tested once a year.

The OCT is a significant investment in eye health for Des Moines Eye Surgeons.  "I'm impressed with the OCT test's sensitivity to the early signs of glaucoma, and I know that it will significantly improve the quality of care and treatment we can provide our patients," says Dr. Brown.  The OCT Nerve Fiber Analyzer test is covered by most insurance companies.

"As our population ages, glaucoma detection and treatment will become an even greater concern," says Dr. Sarno. "It is vital that we use leading-edge technology to effectively meet our patients' needs."

The OCT recently received the 2000 Industrial Design Excellence Award sponsored by Business Week for its unique design of making the machine conform to the patient - a soft face rest guides the proper face placement while the laser head moves to align with the eye, rather than making the patient move.  The OCT Nerve Fiber Analyzer was created by Laser Diagnostic Technologies, a seven-year-old medical device company in San Diego, which specializes in developing diagnostic products for eye care. 

The Des Moines Eye Surgeons, Drs. E. Michael Sarno, and Bradley D. Hammer, and Andrew Steffensmeier, M.D. are ophthalmologists who have provided personalized eye care for more than 30 years in Des Moines.  Services include complete eye care including cataract and corneal surgery, laser vision correction, pediatric eye disorder treatment, and laser surgery for glaucoma and diabetes.  For more information call the Des Moines Eye Surgeons at (515) 225-3546 or (800) 258-2508.

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