What Happens During a Glaucoma Consultation?

A glaucoma consultation in my clinic follows a structured five-step process. Detailed history and vision assessment, comprehensive eye examination, glaucoma-specific testing (including corneal thickness, eye pressure, gonioscopy, OCT, and visual fields when needed), pupil dilation if required, and a personalized discussion of findings.

Every consultation ends with practical education on how to use eye drops correctly and simple strategies to improve treatment adherence. Successful glaucoma care depends on both accurate diagnosis and consistent treatment.

Dr Shibal Bhartiya is a fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist and Mayo Clinic Research Collaborator with over 25 years of experience. Her approach focuses on identifying risk before damage is irreversible, simplifying treatment decisions, and protecting vision long-term. Emphasis on early detection, risk assessment, and continuity of care. She is rated 5 stars across 1,500+ patient reviews on Google.

What Happens During a Glaucoma Consultation? A Doctor’s Walkthrough

Most patients walk into a glaucoma consult expecting a quick pressure check and a prescription. What they get instead, in my clinic, is a sequence. History, vision, anterior segment, a deliberate order of imaging and gonioscopy, baseline pressure testing across more than one visit. The final ten minutes that I consider non negotiable, teaching you how to actually use your drops.

I have refined this sequence over years of glaucoma practice because the disease itself demands it. You cannot feel your eye pressure changing. You cannot feel your nerve fibre layer thinning. The only way to catch glaucoma early and keep it from progressing is a structured, repeatable, slightly unglamorous process. Repeated the same way every single time.

This page walks through that process exactly as it happens in my clinic. So that you know what to expect. It also helps you plan your day better.

Quick Answer: A glaucoma consultation in my clinic moves through five stages. First, the optometrist takes a detailed history and checks vision. This includes uncorrected vision, best corrected vision, and vision with your current glasses. Second, I review that history myself and examine the front of your eye. Third, I run structural and functional tests in a specific order. Corneal thickness, then pressure measurement, then gonioscopy, with OCT and visual field testing done before gonioscopy when they are needed. Fourth, if your pupils need to be dilated, you wait about forty five minutes. Fifth, no consult ends without me personally teaching you how to instil your eye drops correctly and how to remember whether you have taken them.

Dr Shibal Bhartiya Gurgaon glaucoma consultation infographic showing diagnostic testing and treatment pathway steps; navigating glaucoma consultation — A look inside a real glaucoma consultation with Dr Shibal Bhartiya in Gurgaon: structured testing order, baseline pressure checks across visits, and personalised target pressure zones that guide treatment decisions before any drop is prescribed.

Step 1: Before You See Me, the Optometrist Does the Groundwork

Every consult starts with my optometrist, not with me. This is deliberate. It means your history is captured properly and your vision is measured in a structured way before I ever walk into the room.

History taking

The optometrist takes a detailed history and reviews any prior reports, scans, or visual fields you bring with you, noting all of it into your file. This includes systemic conditions that have nothing to do with the eye on the surface, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, or autoimmune disease, along with any current medications and known allergies. Glaucoma management decisions are frequently shaped by what is happening in the rest of your body, so none of this is skipped.

Three vision measurements, not one

Your vision is then checked through a formal refraction, and three separate numbers are recorded:

UCVA, your uncorrected visual acuity, what you see with no glasses at all
PGP, your vision with the glasses you are currently wearing and prescribed
BCVA, your best corrected visual acuity, what you could see with the ideal glasses prescription

Comparing these three numbers tells me whether a vision problem is about your eyewear, your ocular surface, or your optic nerve, before I have even examined you. A non contact tonometry pressure check is occasionally done at this stage as a screening step. I insist on Goldmann Applanation Tonometry for all of my glaucoma patients.

Step 2: I Review Your History and Examine the Front of the Eye

When you come in to see me, I read through everything the optometrist has documented at a glance. If anything looks incomplete, inconsistent, or worth a second look, I will ask more specific questions to understand it properly before moving forward.

There is also, always, a few minutes of ordinary conversation. A glaucoma consult is a long term relationship, not a transaction. It starts with treating you like a person before a set of test results. And you will be shocked at the details I remember. Your family, your last vacation, your dog 🙂 sometimes, even your favourite chutney!

I then examine the front of your eye in detail. The conjunctiva and ocular surface, the meibomian glands, the eyelid and bulbar conjunctiva, the anterior chamber, and the lens, looking specifically for cataract, a shallow anterior chamber, or any cells in the anterior chamber (inflammation).

Step 3: A Deliberate Order of Testing, Not a Random Checklist

The sequence in which glaucoma tests are performed matters, and I follow a fixed order rather than doing whichever test is most convenient.

Angle assessment first, with imaging informing the decision

I assess the optic nerve with a 90 dioptre lens. Every glaucoma patient gets a gonioscopy. When you need a repeat gonioscopy is decided after that. I perform it only after the visual field test, the OCT, and fundus photography are done, when those are part of that visit. Imaging the nerve and the visual field before manipulating the angle gives me a cleaner functional and structural baseline to work from.

Central corneal thickness, then pressure, then gonioscopy

Before gonioscopy, I measure central corneal thickness (CCT), the test also called pachymetry. Corneal thickness directly affects how your raw eye pressure reading should be interpreted. But it is always done before your tonometry. Because touching your corneas to measure your IOP before the CCT may alter it slightly. Gonioscopy then follows. This examines your drainage angle under magnification. This determines whether you have an open angle or a narrow angle profile.

Why I do the pressure check myself

Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT), the test that measures your intraocular pressure, is the one test I do not delegate. In my clinic, I personally perform this for every glaucoma patient before treatment starts. Again at the first follow up, and at every annual review. My optometrists are trained to do it and do perform it in my absence. Doing it myself gives me a direct feel for what is happening in your eye that a number on a chart cannot fully convey.

I also insist on doing my gonioscopy myself, always with the lights switched off, so be prepared for a few minutes in a dark room. I keep talking to you, so its never scary.

How is Applanation Tonometry Done?

For the GAT, one of my team members will put some numbing eyedrops and ask you not to touch your eye. I then put a dye which stains your tears yellow. And then I check your eye pressures under blue light on the slit lamp, with a prism that comes close to the eye.

It takes less than a minute if you don’t blink and keep looking straight ahead, and a few extra seconds if you fidget. It’s painless, and quick, and we finish with a drop of antibiotic in the eye.

Step 4: Dilation, When It Is Needed

If your assessment requires dilating your pupils, you will be told this in advance, because dilation takes about forty five minutes to take full effect and changes how you experience the rest of your day.

We ask you to bring dark glasses, a scarf, or an umbrella, since dilated eyes are far more light sensitive, particularly in Gurugram’s daytime heat
We advise you not to drive yourself home after a dilated examination

Step 5: Establishing a True Baseline, Not a Single Snapshot

Glaucoma decisions should never rest on one reading taken on one day. Two specific habits in my clinic exist to correct for that.

Repeating your first visual field

There is a genuine learning curve to taking a visual field test well. The first attempt is frequently unreliable simply because the patient has not yet learned the rhythm of the test. I routinely discard the first visual field and ask patients to return the next morning. We do not charge for that repeat test. The inaccuracy is a known limitation of the test itself, and is not a reason to bill twice.

Three pressure readings, not one

For a true baseline, I usually take three intraocular pressure readings at different times of day. Rather than relying on a single number, since pressure naturally fluctuates through the day. One of these three readings may be taken by an optometrist, if it’s after my working hours. We usually work from the average of all three.

The water drinking test

A formal diurnal variation test, in which pressure is measured every few hours through the day, is not practical for every patient. We often use the water drinking test as a more practical stand in. This is typically done before starting treatment, again about one to two months after treatment begins. We may repeat it if your eye appears to be progressing despite your pressure meeting its target.

Step 6: Setting Your Personalised Target Pressure

There is no single universal normal pressure number in modern glaucoma care. Your corneal thickness, the structure of your drainage angle, and your Visual field and OCT baseline are combined to calculate a target pressure zone. This is specific to your eye, designed to halt progression for you.

Step 7: The Most Important Section of Glaucoma Consultation: Eye Drop Training

A prescription on its own does not protect your vision if the drops never go in correctly or are forgotten. So every consult ends with practical training, not just instructions.

I personally show you how to instil your eye drops correctly, since technique affects how much medication actually reaches the eye
I ask you to set a phone alarm for every dose. Because relying on memory alone is the most common reason treatment fails
If you are on more than one medication, I recommend keeping two small boxes. One empty and one full of your drop bottles. After each dose, you move that bottle from the full box to the empty one. So a glance at the boxes tells you whether you have already taken that round of drops. And which ones remain.
When you leave, my coordinator helps you set your next appointment, before you leave the clinic. You will also receive a Whatsapp message with links to important information and details of phone numbers to book appointments. You will also get my direct phone number for any clinical queries, or emergencies.

When To See Me Before Your Booked Glaucoma Consultation

Sudden eye pain, redness, or blurred vision, which can signal an acute angle closure attack
Any one sided change in vision or eye appearance
Headache or nausea accompanying eye pain
A noticeable change in your visual field between scheduled visits
New side effects after starting or changing a glaucoma medication
Missed doses for several consecutive days, which should be flagged at your next visit rather than left unmentioned

This page is a part of the Glaucoma Hub. you may want to read about Glaucoma Progression, and Risk Stratification in Glaucoma. Other articles of interest could be Advanced Glaucoma Care in Gurgaon, What Good Glaucoma Care Actually Optimises For, What Happens If Glaucoma Is Left Untreated?, More Glaucoma Eye Drops is Not Better Glaucoma Care, 5 Mistakes Patients Make in Glaucoma Care and Do You Really Need Treatment for Glaucoma?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the optometrist see me before the doctor does?

The optometrist’s workup, history, refraction, and the three part vision check, ensures your file is complete and your baseline vision is documented accurately before I begin my own examination. This makes the time I spend with you more focused on interpretation and decision making rather than data collection.

Why do you measure my eye pressure yourself instead of leaving it to staff?

Goldmann applanation tonometry is the gold standard pressure test, and for every glaucoma patient I treat, I perform it myself before starting treatment, at the first follow up, and at every annual review. It gives me a direct sense of your eye’s behaviour that I do not want to lose by always delegating it.

Why do you discard my first visual field test and ask me to repeat it?

Most patients have not yet learned the rhythm of the visual field test on their first attempt. This makes that first result unreliable. We ask you to return the next morning for a repeat test. We do not charge for it, since the inaccuracy belongs to the learning curve of the test, not to you.

Why is gonioscopy done after OCT and visual field testing, not before?

When OCT, visual field testing, and fundus photography are part of your visit, I prefer to have that structural and functional picture in hand before manipulating the angle during gonioscopy. The order is chosen to give the cleanest possible baseline. Also, sometimes I use a viscoelastic gel for gonioscopy. In that case, your vision is fuzzy for about ten minutes after, and I don’t want your time wasted.

What is the water drinking test and why would I need one?

It is a practical way of checking how your eye pressure responds to a physiological stress. This is used in place of round the clock diurnal variation testing, which is not feasible for every patient. I typically use it before starting treatment. I may repeat it again a month or two into treatment. And again later if your eye appears to be progressing even though your pressure looks controlled.

Why do you spend time teaching me to put in my own eye drops?

Technique directly affects how much medication reaches your eye. A missed or mistimed dose is the most common reason glaucoma treatment underperforms. Pairing a phone alarm with the two box system is simple. It gives you a simple, visual way to know whether today’s dose has already gone in. Research says it is the most important intervention in preventing glaucoma blindness.

Key Takeaways

Your consult begins with the optometrist. They document history and perform three vision measurements, UCVA, PGP, and BCVA, before I examine you
Testing follows a fixed order: imaging and visual field first when needed, then corneal thickness, then gonioscopy, then pressure measurement
I personally measure your eye pressure for every glaucoma patient at key visits, rather than delegating it
Your first visual field is usually repeated free of charge, because of a genuine learning curve with the test
Baseline pressure is built from three readings at different times of day, sometimes supplemented by a water drinking test
Your target pressure is personalised to your eye’s anatomy, not based on one generic normal number
No consult ends without hands on training in how to use your drops. And how to track whether you have taken them

Book a Consultation

If you have been told you have glaucoma, or are due for a routine check because of family history or elevated pressure, this is the process you can expect to walk through.

[Book an Appointment →www.drshibalbhartiya.com | +91 88826 38735]

About the Author

This article was written by Dr Shibal Bhartiya, fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist and Mayo Clinic Research Collaborator, Clinical Director at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram, known for ethical, patient-centred glaucoma care and independent glaucoma second opinions. She is also the Program Director for Community Outreach & Wellness; and for the Marengo Asia International Institute of Neuro and Spine.

She has published peer-reviewed research on glaucoma management, examining how treatment decisions should balance medical evidence, patient preferences, and long-term vision outcomes.

As Editor-in-Chief of Clinical and Experimental Vision and Eye Research and Executive Editor of the Journal of Current Glaucoma Practice (Pubmed Indexed, official journal of the International Society of Glaucoma Surgery), Dr Shibal Bhartiya brings editorial and research depth to every clinical decision. Her 200+ publications, including 90+ PubMed-indexed publications and 28 edited textbooks span glaucoma biology, surgical outcomes, health equity, and emerging diagnostics.

1500+ Five Star Patient Reviews Google Business Profile

If you are unable to come to Dr Bhartiya’s clinic: Read more about teleconsultation

Read her research on PubMed | Google Scholar | ResearchGate | ORCID

Upload your reports for a structured review.| www.drshibalbhartiya.com | +91 88826 38735

Leave a review on Google

A Routine Eye Check and Glaucoma

A routine eye check may raise suspicion of glaucoma through elevated eye pressure, changes in the optic nerve, or unexplained vision changes. However, confirming glaucoma usually requires specialised tests such as optic nerve imaging, visual field testing, and corneal thickness measurement. Also, a routine for glasses is not a substitute for an eye exam, as the former can often miss glaucoma.

Glaucoma usually causes no pain, no redness, and no obvious vision change in its early stages. Most people with glaucoma feel completely normal until significant and irreversible damage has occurred. The only way to detect it early is a comprehensive eye examination that includes optic nerve assessment, intraocular pressure measurement, and visual field testing

A Routine Eye Check Revealed a Sight-Threatening Disease

Mrs SG came to see me because her glasses prescription had not felt right for a few months. She was 57. She worked at a desk. Her eyes were tired by evening, and she assumed she needed a stronger number. She had no pain. No redness. No alarming moment that made her think something was wrong.

Her previous optician had given her a new prescription six months earlier. It had not helped. She booked an appointment with me because a colleague had suggested a second opinion.

I examined her in the usual way. Her visual acuity was reasonable. Her anterior segment was quiet. Then I checked her retina and optic nerve.

The optic nerve in her left eye had a cup that was too large. The rim tissue was thinning at the inferior pole. Her intraocular pressure was 24 mmHg in the right eye and 26 in the left. I asked her to sit with the visual field machine.

The field test confirmed what the disc had suggested. There was a dense arcuate defect in her left eye. A significant portion of her peripheral vision was already gone. She had not noticed. You rarely do with glaucoma, because the brain fills in the gaps until it cannot.

She did not need a stronger glasses prescription. She had glaucoma, and it had been quietly advancing for what was likely several years.

Patient details have been changed to protect privacy.

Remember

Sunita’s case is not unusual. Glaucoma is called the silent thief of sight for a reason. It causes no pain, no visible redness, and no early warning that most patients would recognise. By the time vision loss is noticeable, the disease has already caused permanent damage. In India, an estimated 12 million people have glaucoma, and almost 90% of them do not know it. (The Chennai glaucoma Study).

Below, I explain what glaucoma actually does to the eye, why it is so reliably missed, and which symptoms, or absences of symptoms, should prompt an urgent examination.

What Glaucoma Actually Does to Your Eye

Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve. The optic nerve carries visual information from the eye to the brain. When this nerve is damaged, that information is lost permanently. No treatment can restore what is already gone. Treatment can only slow or stop further damage.

In most cases, the damage is caused or worsened by raised pressure inside the eye. This pressure, called intraocular pressure or IOP, builds when fluid inside the eye does not drain properly. The drainage system becomes less efficient over time, pressure rises, and the optic nerve fibres begin to die. The process is painless in the vast majority of patients.

What makes glaucoma particularly deceptive is the pattern of vision loss. It begins at the periphery, the edges of your visual field. The brain compensates automatically. Both eyes together create a complete picture, and each eye covers for the blind spots of the other. Patients often do not notice peripheral vision loss until more than 40 percent of their optic nerve fibres have already been destroyed. By that point, the disease is well advanced.

In SG’s case, her glasses prescription had changed slightly because her visual system was compensating for early field loss. It was not a refractive change. It was her brain working harder to make sense of incomplete information. This pattern, subtle visual dissatisfaction without a clear cause, is one of the most common presentations I see in patients who turn out to have early to moderate glaucoma.

Glaucoma vs Normal Ageing: How to Tell the Difference

Symptom or Sign	What It Suggests	What To Do
Gradual blurring that a new glasses prescription does not fix	May indicate optic nerve or macular pathology, not refractive change	See an ophthalmologist for optic nerve assessment, not just a refraction
Difficulty adjusting from bright to dim light	Can be an early sign of peripheral field loss	Request a visual field test at your next eye appointment
Frequent glasses changes with no lasting improvement	Suggests the problem is not the prescription	Ask for intraocular pressure measurement and disc evaluation
Mild headache or eye heaviness without redness	In some patients, mildly elevated IOP causes subtle discomfort	Check IOP, especially if over 40 or with family history of glaucoma
No symptoms at all, but a family member has glaucoma	First-degree relatives have a 4 to 9 times higher risk	Schedule a comprehensive glaucoma screening even if you feel completely well
Squinting or tilting the head to see clearly	May indicate undetected visual field asymmetry	Full field test for both eyes separately

Why Glaucoma Is So Often Missed

The most common reason glaucoma goes undetected is that a routine glasses check is not a glaucoma examination.

When a patient visits an optician or a basic eye clinic for a new prescription, the standard assessment measures visual acuity and refraction. It does not always include optic nerve photography, intraocular pressure measurement, or visual field testing. These are the three investigations that detect glaucoma. Without all three, the disease is invisible.

Sunita had seen an optician twice in three years. Her visual acuity was checked each time. Her optic nerve was never examined.

The second reason glaucoma is missed is the absence of symptoms. Patients present to doctors when something feels wrong. Glaucoma does not feel wrong, not for years. There is no cultural expectation in India of an annual comprehensive eye examination. Most people attend only when they need a new prescription or when something is visibly red or painful. By those criteria, a glaucoma patient has no reason to come at all.

The third reason is that IOP alone is not a reliable screening tool. Many patients with glaucoma have pressure in the so-called normal range. Normal-tension glaucoma accounts for a substantial proportion of cases, particularly in people of Asian descent. A single IOP reading of 16 mmHg does not exclude the diagnosis.

SG’s IOP was elevated, which made diagnosis more straightforward. But many of my patients with confirmed glaucoma have had pressures that would not have triggered concern at a routine check.

When To See an Eye Specialist

See an ophthalmologist for a comprehensive glaucoma assessment if any of the following apply:

A parent, sibling, or child has been diagnosed with glaucoma
You are over 40 and have not had a comprehensive eye examination in the past two years
You have been told your eye pressure is “a little high” but were not referred further
You have changed your glasses prescription twice in two years with no lasting improvement
You have diabetes, as this increases glaucoma risk
You are of South Asian, East Asian, or African descent, all of which carry higher glaucoma risk
You use steroid eye drops, nasal sprays, or inhalers long-term
You were told everything was fine, but your vision still does not feel right

A comprehensive assessment takes around 30 to 45 minutes and is painless. It will include optic nerve imaging, IOP measurement, corneal thickness assessment, and a visual field test. This combination reliably detects glaucoma at a stage when treatment can prevent significant vision loss.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you have glaucoma with normal eye pressure?

Yes. Normal-tension glaucoma is a recognised and common form of the disease, particularly in people of Asian descent. A normal IOP reading does not rule out glaucoma; optic nerve assessment and visual field testing are essential.

Does glaucoma always cause pain?

No. The most common forms of glaucoma are completely painless. Pain is associated with acute angle-closure glaucoma, which is a sudden and rare presentation. Most patients with chronic open-angle glaucoma, the most prevalent type, feel nothing at all until vision loss is advanced.

Can lost vision from glaucoma be restored?

No. Optic nerve damage caused by glaucoma is permanent. Treatment with eye drops, laser, or surgery can slow or stop further damage, but vision already lost cannot be recovered. Early detection is the only way to protect useful sight.

How often should I have a glaucoma check if I have a family history?

If a first-degree relative has glaucoma, you should have a comprehensive eye examination every year from the age of 40, or earlier if your ophthalmologist advises it.

Book a Consultation

If you have a family history of glaucoma, have not had a comprehensive eye examination in the past two years, or have been told your eye pressure is elevated, a dedicated assessment is worth arranging now. The earlier glaucoma is found, the more vision can be protected.

At Dr Shibal Bhartiya Eye Clinic, Gurugram, a glaucoma assessment includes optic nerve imaging, visual field testing, corneal thickness measurement, and a full review of your risk profile. [second opinion]

[Book an Appointment → +91 88826 38735]

This page is a part of the Glaucoma Hub. you may want to read about Glaucoma Progression, and Risk Stratification in Glaucoma. Other articles of interest could be Advanced Glaucoma Care in Gurgaon, What Good Glaucoma Care Actually Optimises For, What Happens If Glaucoma Is Left Untreated?, More Glaucoma Eye Drops is Not Better Glaucoma Care, 5 Mistakes Patients Make in Glaucoma Care and Do You Really Need Treatment for Glaucoma?

About the Author

This article was written by Dr Shibal Bhartiya, fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist and Mayo Clinic Research Collaborator, Clinical Director at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram, known for ethical, patient-centred glaucoma care and independent glaucoma second opinions. She is also the Program Director for Community Outreach & Wellness; and for the Marengo Asia International Institute of Neuro and Spine.

She has published peer-reviewed research on glaucoma management, examining how treatment decisions should balance medical evidence, patient preferences, and long-term vision outcomes.

As Editor-in-Chief of Clinical and Experimental Vision and Eye Research and Executive Editor of the Journal of Current Glaucoma Practice (Pubmed Indexed, official journal of the International Society of Glaucoma Surgery), Dr Shibal Bhartiya brings editorial and research depth to every clinical decision. Her 200+ publications, including 90+ PubMed-indexed publications and 28 edited textbooks span glaucoma biology, surgical outcomes, health equity, and emerging diagnostics.

1500+ Five Star Patient Reviews Google Business Profile

If you are unable to come to Dr Bhartiya’s clinic: Read more about teleconsultation

Read her research on PubMed | Google Scholar | ResearchGate | ORCID

Upload your reports for a structured review.| www.drshibalbhartiya.com | +91 88826 38735

Leave a review on Google

Glaucoma Diagnosis: First 90 Days

A glaucoma diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but the first 90 days are crucial for understanding your condition, starting treatment, and establishing a plan to protect your vision long term. Early follow-up, regular eye pressure monitoring, and clear communication with your glaucoma specialist can make a significant difference in preserving sight.

Your First 90 Days With Glaucoma: A Step-by-Step Action Plan

Many patients ask me: I have been diagnosed with glaucoma. What do I do now. Here is what I tell them: A glaucoma diagnosis does not mean you are going blind. It means you now have information most people get too late. The next 90 days are the most important window — not because the disease moves fast, but because the habits you build now protect your vision for the next 30 years.

This guide, written by Dr Shibal Bhartiya, tells you exactly what to do, in order.

Dr Shibal Bhartiya is a fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist and Mayo Clinic Research Collaborator with over 25 years of experience. Her approach focuses on identifying risk before damage is irreversible, simplifying treatment decisions, and protecting vision long-term. Emphasis on early detection, risk assessment, and continuity of care. She is rated 5 stars across 1,500+ patient reviews on Google.

Day 1–7 of Glaucoma Diagnosis: Get the Basics Right

Learn to put in your eye drops correctly

This is the single most important skill you will learn. Studies show that over 60% of patients use eye drops incorrectly — and incorrect technique means the drop misses the eye, or drains immediately into the tear duct and does nothing.

Wash your hands. Tilt your head back. Pull your lower eyelid gently down to form a pocket. Hold the bottle above the eye without touching it. Squeeze one drop into the pocket — not onto the eyeball directly. Close your eye gently. Press the inner corner of your eye (near the nose) firmly with one finger for 60 seconds. This blocks the tear duct and keeps the drug in the eye where it belongs. Do not blink vigorously. Do not wipe.

If you use more than one drop type, wait five minutes between them. The first drop dilutes and flushes out the second if you use them together.

Ask your doctor or optometrist to watch you do it once. Ask for a correction if your technique needs adjustment.

Here’s a video demostration:

Set your alarms — and take them seriously

Glaucoma drops work only when taken on time, every day, for life. A single missed day matters less than a pattern of casual delays.

Most drops are once daily, ideally at night. Set a recurring alarm on your phone with a label — “Left eye drop, right eye drop, press corner.” Place the bottle next to your toothbrush. The habit links to the existing habit.

If you use drops twice daily, set both alarms. Never rely on memory alone.

File your papers before they disappear

You walked out of the clinic with reports. Photograph or scan every one of them today — the visual field test, the OCT nerve scan, the IOP readings, the prescription. Put them in a dedicated folder on your phone or email them to yourself with the subject line “Glaucoma Records — [your name].”

You will need these at your next visit, at any second opinion, and if you travel and need emergency eye care. Doctors cannot make good decisions without your baseline.

Week 2–4 of Glaucoma Diagnosis: Build the Follow-Up Structure

Your 30-day appointment is not optional

Glaucoma drops take four to six weeks to show their full pressure-lowering effect. Your doctor needs to see you at 30 days to measure whether the drop is working — and to catch side effects early. Do not skip this.

At this visit, your doctor will check:

Your intraocular pressure (IOP) against your baseline
Whether the drop is causing redness, allergy, or discomfort
Whether you need a dose adjustment or a switch to a different medication

Set a calendar reminder for this appointment the day you are diagnosed. If the appointment was not scheduled, call the clinic and schedule it yourself before the week is over.

Know what side effects to watch for

Most glaucoma drops are well-tolerated. But some cause changes you should know about.

Prostaglandin analogues (bimatoprost, travoprost, latanoprost) can darken the iris over time in some patients, and may cause eyelash growth or mild redness. These are cosmetic and not dangerous — but tell your doctor.

Beta-blockers (timolol) can slow your heart rate and cause breathlessness in patients with asthma or heart disease. If you feel unusually short of breath or very tired after starting drops, contact your doctor the same day.

Alpha agonists (brimonidine) sometimes cause an allergic reaction with marked redness and discharge, usually within weeks of starting. Stop the drop and call your doctor if this happens.

None of these mean you must stop treatment. They mean the treatment may need adjustment.

Month 1–2 of Glaucoma Diagnosis: Tell Your Family

Your siblings and children need an eye check — now

Glaucoma has a strong genetic component. First-degree relatives of a glaucoma patient have a four to nine times higher risk of developing the disease. Most of them will have no symptoms at all until damage is advanced.

Tell your siblings and adult children this week. Ask them to see an ophthalmologist for a baseline pressure check, optic nerve assessment, and field test. This is not alarmist. It is the most useful thing your diagnosis can do for your family.

Month 1–3: Address the Controllable Risk Factors

Stop smoking — this one is not negotiable

Smoking constricts blood vessels and reduces blood flow to the optic nerve. It worsens the vascular risk that many glaucoma patients already carry. The damage from smoking adds to the damage from pressure — and your nerve cannot absorb both.

If you smoke, speak to your doctor about cessation support. This is as important as the drops.

Get your metabolic parameters checked

High blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid disease, and sleep apnoea all affect glaucoma progression through vascular and metabolic pathways. If these are uncontrolled, your optic nerve faces risk from two directions simultaneously.

Ask your physician to check your blood pressure, fasting glucose, HbA1c, and thyroid function if these have not been done recently. If you snore heavily or feel exhausted in the mornings, mention it — untreated sleep apnoea is a recognised glaucoma risk factor that is almost always missed.

Exercise — the right kind

Moderate aerobic exercise (brisk walking 30 minutes, five days a week) lowers intraocular pressure by a clinically meaningful amount in most patients. Avoid high-resistance head-down exercises like heavy weightlifting or inverted yoga poses — these transiently spike IOP.

Month 2–3: Ask About Laser Treatment

SLT — Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty

If your glaucoma is open-angle type, your doctor may recommend SLT as a first-line treatment or as a supplement to drops. SLT uses a laser to improve fluid drainage from the eye. It is done in the clinic in five to ten minutes, is painless, and works in approximately 75 to 80% of patients.

The effect lasts three to five years and can be repeated. SLT does not burn tissue — it sends a gentle energy pulse that stimulates the drainage cells to work better.

Ask your doctor at the 30-day or 90-day visit: “Am I a candidate for SLT?”

LPI — Laser Peripheral Iridotomy

If your glaucoma is narrow-angle or angle-closure type, LPI is a preventive procedure that creates a small opening in the iris to prevent a sudden pressure spike (acute angle-closure attack). LPI is typically recommended before an attack happens — it takes three to four minutes per eye and prevents one of the most painful ophthalmic emergencies.

If your doctor mentioned narrow angles at any point, ask specifically whether you need LPI. Do not wait.

Throughout: Keep Your Perspective

Do not search the internet at 2am

Glaucoma outcomes in treated patients are overwhelmingly good. The disease moves slowly in the vast majority of cases. Patients who take their drops, attend follow-ups, and manage their risk factors maintain useful vision for life in most cases.

The stories of severe vision loss you will find online mostly involve patients who were never diagnosed, or who stopped treatment. You are neither.

Reach out if you need support

A new diagnosis changes how you think about your body. Some patients find this unsettling, and that is entirely normal. Several Indian and international glaucoma patient forums, and online communities run by ophthalmologists offer peer support from people at every stage of the same journey.

You do not have to figure this out alone.

Your 90-Day Checklist

Eye drop technique confirmed by a doctor or technician
Alarm set — every day, same time
All reports photographed and filed digitally
30-day follow-up appointment booked
Side effects list saved on your phone
Siblings and adult children informed and booked for screening
Smoking cessation initiated if applicable
Blood pressure, glucose, HbA1c, thyroid checked
SLT or LPI discussion had with your doctor
One support resource bookmarked

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to take eye drops for life?

In most cases, yes. Glaucoma is a chronic condition and eye drops control pressure — they do not cure the disease. Stopping drops allows pressure to rise again and damage to resume. Some patients reduce or stop drops after successful laser treatment (SLT), but this is a decision made with your doctor based on your pressure readings, not independently.

What if I forget a drop one day?

Take it as soon as you remember, unless it is almost time for the next dose. Do not double up. One missed dose will not cause a crisis. A habit of casual misses will. Reset the alarm and continue.

Can I drive after putting in my eye drops?

Most glaucoma drops do not affect vision significantly. Some patients notice mild blurring for a few minutes immediately after instillation — wait for this to clear before driving. If your doctor has dilated your pupils at a clinic visit, do not drive until dilation wears off, typically three to four hours.

My pressure was normal at diagnosis. Do I still have glaucoma?

Yes — this is called normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). Roughly 30 to 40% of glaucoma patients in India have pressures within the statistical normal range. The diagnosis is made on optic nerve appearance and visual field changes, not pressure alone. NTG is treated the same way — the target is to lower pressure further from your individual baseline.

Is glaucoma hereditary? Do I need to tell my family?

Yes, and yes. First-degree relatives — parents, siblings, children — have a four to nine times higher risk. Most will have no symptoms. Tell them this week and ask them to see an ophthalmologist for a baseline check that includes pressure, nerve assessment, and a visual field test.

Will I go blind?

Treated glaucoma in a compliant patient who attends follow-up carries a very low risk of blindness. The risk is real only when the disease is undiagnosed, undertreated, or ignored. You have been diagnosed. That is the most important step already taken.

What is SLT and should I ask about it?

Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a five-minute clinic procedure that improves fluid drainage from the eye. It works in approximately 75 to 80% of open-angle glaucoma patients and can reduce or eliminate the need for drops for three to five years. Ask your doctor at the 30-day visit whether you are a candidate.

Can I exercise with glaucoma?

Yes — moderate aerobic exercise is actively beneficial and lowers IOP. Brisk walking, cycling, and swimming are all good. Avoid heavy resistance training with breath-holding (Valsalva manoeuvre) and inverted positions, both of which spike pressure transiently. If exercise is a regular part of your routine, tell your doctor so they can factor it into your pressure readings.

My drops are making my eyes red. Should I stop?

Do not stop without speaking to your doctor first. Redness is common with several drop classes and is often manageable — a preservative-free formulation or a switch in medication resolves it in most cases. Stopping drops independently allows pressure to rise. Call the clinic and describe the symptom.

How often will I need follow-up forever?

Once stable on treatment, most patients are reviewed every three to six months. This includes a pressure check and, once yearly or more often if needed, a repeat visual field test and OCT nerve scan to confirm the disease is not progressing. Glaucoma never becomes self-managing — the follow-up rhythm continues for life, but it is not onerous once the initial titration phase is complete.

This page is part of the Glaucoma Hub hub. Read about our full approach to glaucoma care and monitoring. Please also read our guide to Understanding Your Visual Field Test. You may want to read a patient’s experience with glaucoma eye drops, and of one with SLT.

About the Author

This article was written by Dr Shibal Bhartiya, fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist and Mayo Clinic Research Collaborator, Clinical Director at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram, known for ethical, patient-centred glaucoma care and independent glaucoma second opinions. She is also the Program Director for Community Outreach & Wellness; and for the Marengo Asia International Institute of Neuro and Spine.

She has published peer-reviewed research on glaucoma management, examining how treatment decisions should balance medical evidence, patient preferences, and long-term vision outcomes.

As Editor-in-Chief of Clinical and Experimental Vision and Eye Research and Executive Editor of the Journal of Current Glaucoma Practice (Pubmed Indexed, official journal of the International Society of Glaucoma Surgery), Dr Shibal Bhartiya brings editorial and research depth to every clinical decision. Her 200+ publications, including 90+ PubMed-indexed publications and 28 edited textbooks span glaucoma biology, surgical outcomes, health equity, and emerging diagnostics.

1500+ Five Star Patient Reviews Google Business Profile

If you are unable to come to Dr Bhartiya’s clinic: Read more about teleconsultation

Read her research on PubMed | Google Scholar | ResearchGate | ORCID

Upload your reports for a structured review.| www.drshibalbhartiya.com | +91 88826 38735

Leave a review on Google

HOW TO DO VISUAL FIELD

A visual field test checks your side (peripheral) vision and helps detect or monitor glaucoma and other optic nerve conditions. During the test, you look straight ahead and press a button whenever you notice lights appearing in different parts of your vision.

Automated static perimetry is the clinical gold standard for tracking glaucoma progression. Yet it is notoriously anxiety-inducing. High fixation losses and false positives corrupt diagnostic data when a patient is stressed. Active coaching before and during the test stabilises fixation, yields clean reproducible data, and transforms a feared exam into a collaborative clinical tool.

Dr Shibal Bhartiya is a fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist and Mayo Clinic Research Collaborator with over 25 years of experience. Her approach focuses on identifying risk before damage is irreversible, simplifying treatment decisions, and protecting vision long-term. Emphasis on early detection, risk assessment, and continuity of care. She is rated 5 stars across 1,500+ patient reviews on Google.

How Patient-First Coaching Transforms Glaucoma Perimetry

Ask any glaucoma patient what part of their routine checkup they dread most. Nine out of ten will say the visual field test.

Sitting alone in a dark room, staring at a central yellow light, clicking a button for faint flashes you think you might be missing — it feels less like a diagnostic test and more like a high-stakes exam you are destined to fail.

A patient recently left a review that captured exactly why we approach this differently. They noted how other clinics seat you in the machine and tell you to press the clicker. No explanation. No preparation. Just anxiety and confusion. They described how, in our clinic, the entire experience was different. We walked them through what the visual field map actually shows. We explained the rhythm of the test before they started. They felt like a partner in their own care — not a passive subject.

You can read their experience here on Google.

When a patient understands that missing some flashes is a normal part of the machine’s threshold calculation, their heart rate drops. Their blinking stabilises. Their anxiety disappears.

That extra ten minutes of human coaching does not just produce a more comfortable patient. It produces pristine, accurate diagnostic data — the data we rely on to protect their optic nerve for decades.

What Actually Happens During a Visual Field Test

You sit with one eye covered and rest your chin on the machine. Your job is simple: keep looking at the central target and press the button whenever you notice a light anywhere in your side vision.

You are not expected to see every flash.

In fact, the machine deliberately presents lights that become increasingly faint to identify the threshold where vision transitions from “seen” to “not seen.” Missing some lights is not failure — it is how the test works.

Blink normally. Take short pauses if needed. If your attention drifts for a moment, do not panic and start clicking rapidly to catch up. The best visual field tests are usually not the fastest tests. They are the calmest.

The Most Common Mistake Patients Make

Patients often believe this is an intelligence test or a reaction-time test.

It is neither.

Trying too hard can sometimes reduce accuracy. Clicking every time you think a light might have appeared creates false positives. Chasing missed flashes leads to fatigue and fixation loss.

The goal is not perfection. The goal is honest responses.

Why One Visual Field Rarely Tells the Whole Story

A visual field is not interpreted in isolation.

Sleep, dry eye, anxiety, distraction, cataract, learning the machine, and even understanding instructions can influence a result.

That is why glaucoma decisions are usually made by combining visual fields with optic nerve examination, eye pressure, imaging, and change over time.

Protecting vision is rarely about one dramatic test result. It is about recognising patterns early and responding before change becomes irreversible.

FAQs

How do I prepare for a visual field test?

No special preparation is usually needed. Wear your glasses if advised, stay relaxed, and try to rest your eyes before the test.

Is a visual field test painful?

No. A visual field test is non-contact, painless, and usually takes only a few minutes for each eye.

Why do visual field tests need to be repeated?

Visual field tests help monitor change over time. In glaucoma, repeated tests are often more useful than a single result because they help detect progression early.

Why is the visual field test for glaucoma so stressful?

The test is designed to find the absolute limit of your peripheral vision. It presents flashes that are intentionally very faint, so feeling like you are missing lights or guessing is completely normal. This design triggers anxiety when the process is not explained beforehand. Preparation changes the entire experience.

How does anxiety affect the accuracy of a glaucoma perimetry test?

High anxiety leads to irregular blinking, rapid head movements, and false-positive clicking. These introduce significant noise into the results. An ophthalmologist cannot reliably distinguish true disease progression from a stressful test day. A coached, relaxed patient produces far more clinically reliable data.

What if I think I did badly on my visual field test?

Many patients feel they performed poorly, especially during early tests. A difficult test does not automatically mean glaucoma has worsened. Ophthalmologists interpret reliability measures, compare previous results, and look for repeatable patterns over time.

Am I Doing My Visual Field Test Wrong?

Most patients worry they are doing badly because they miss flashes or feel uncertain during the test. That feeling is normal. Visual field testing is designed to find the edge of what you can see, so missing lights is expected and does not mean you have failed.

Why Do I Keep Missing Lights on My Glaucoma Test?

The machine deliberately shows lights that become fainter and fainter to calculate your visual threshold. Missing some lights helps the test work properly. Trying to click for every possible flash often makes results less reliable than staying relaxed and responding naturally.

This page is part of the Advanced Glaucoma Care hub. Read about the full spectrum of glaucoma diagnosis and treatment.

About the Author

This article was written by Dr Shibal Bhartiya, fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist and Mayo Clinic Research Collaborator, Clinical Director at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram, known for ethical, patient-centred glaucoma care and independent glaucoma second opinions. She is also the Program Director for Community Outreach & Wellness; and for the Marengo Asia International Institute of Neuro and Spine.

She has published peer-reviewed research on glaucoma management, examining how treatment decisions should balance medical evidence, patient preferences, and long-term vision outcomes.

As Editor-in-Chief of Clinical and Experimental Vision and Eye Research and Executive Editor of the Journal of Current Glaucoma Practice (Pubmed Indexed, official journal of the International Society of Glaucoma Surgery), Dr Shibal Bhartiya brings editorial and research depth to every clinical decision. Her 200+ publications, including 90+ PubMed-indexed publications and 28 edited textbooks span glaucoma biology, surgical outcomes, health equity, and emerging diagnostics.

1500+ Five Star Patient Reviews Google Business Profile

If you are unable to come to Dr Bhartiya’s clinic: Read more about teleconsultation

Read her research on PubMed | Google Scholar | ResearchGate | ORCID

Upload your reports for a structured review.| www.drshibalbhartiya.com | +91 88826 38735

Leave a review on Google

Struggle To See, Eye Test Normal

A normal eye test result does not mean your vision is functioning well in real life. Several conditions, including early glaucoma, contrast sensitivity loss, and tear film instability, impair how you see in complex, demanding, or low-light situations while leaving standard acuity measurements completely unchanged.

You were told your vision is good. Six out of six. Normal pressure. Healthy-looking eyes. And yet something is not right. You avoid driving at night. Often, you have to re-read paragraphs. You feel less confident in unfamiliar spaces. Your eyes are tired by mid-afternoon in a way they did not used to be.

You are not imagining it. And “good vision” may not mean what you think it means.

If you struggle to see in everyday life but your eye test is called “normal,” the problem may not always be simple blur or glasses power. Subtle visual difficulties, especially with reading, contrast, movement, dim light, or visual comfort—sometimes need a more detailed eye evaluation.

What “Good Vision” Actually Measures — and What It Doesn’t

When a doctor tells you your vision is good, they almost always mean your visual acuity is good — your ability to read the smallest line on a high-contrast chart in a well-lit room at a fixed distance. This is one measurement. It is an important measurement. It is not a complete picture of visual function.

The following are entirely separate visual abilities. None of them are captured by a standard acuity test:

Contrast sensitivity — detecting differences in shade and tone in the real world
Peripheral vision — what you see at the edges without looking directly
Binocular coordination — how accurately your two eyes work together
Accommodative function — how well your focusing system sustains effort over time
Tear film stability — how consistently your corneal surface maintains optical quality between blinks
Low-light performance — how your visual system adapts to reduced illumination
Colour discrimination — detecting subtle differences in hue and saturation
Processing speed — how quickly your brain interprets visual signals

A person can have perfect acuity and clinically significant impairment in several of these functions simultaneously.

5 Reasons You May Struggle Visually Despite Normal Test Results

1. Early Glaucoma Targets What Acuity Tests Don’t Measure

Glaucoma damages the optic nerve in a pattern that initially spares central vision. By the time acuity is affected, the disease has typically been present and progressing for years. In the interim, it reduces contrast sensitivity, narrows the peripheral field, and impairs the visual system’s ability to recover from glare — none of which a chart test detects.

Patients with early glaucoma often describe a vague sense that their vision has “changed” or “isn’t what it was” — without being able to articulate exactly what is different. They are right. The test is wrong to tell them otherwise.

Dr Bhartiya’s research published in Journal of Current Glaucoma Practice, and indexed on Pubmed, emphasises that patients with moderate to severe glaucoma prioritize recognizing faces and finding dropped objects. The patients who reported greater difficulty in lighting-related tasks, as well as peripheral and distance vision, also gave it more importance.

2. The Gap Between Acuity and Functional Vision Widens With Age

As the eye ages, the lens becomes less transparent and more scattering. The pupil becomes less reactive. The tear film becomes less stable. The focusing muscle loses range. Each of these changes reduces visual performance in real-world conditions — in dim light, under sustained effort, in complex environments — before they reduce acuity in a controlled setting.

A 55-year-old with 6/6 acuity may have meaningfully reduced functional vision compared to five years ago. That reduction is real and deserves evaluation.

3. Binocular Vision Problems Are Invisible to Standard Testing

Two eyes that each see clearly do not automatically work together efficiently. When the coordination between them is slightly off — a condition called phoria or vergence insufficiency — the brain expends constant effort to maintain single, fused vision. This is experienced not as double vision but as fatigue, difficulty concentrating, headaches, and a general sense that visual tasks are harder than they should be.

Standard acuity testing tests each eye in isolation. It does not test how the two eyes function as a coordinated system.

4. Dry Eye Disease Produces Fluctuating, Not Consistently Reduced, Vision

Dry eye does not produce a fixed blur that a chart captures. It produces a fluctuating optical surface — clear after a blink, degrading within seconds, then clearing again. In a clinic test, you blink before reading each line. In real life, sustained focus reduces blink rate, the tear film breaks down, and vision quality fluctuates in a way that is disorienting and exhausting without being measurable on a chart.

5. Psychological and Cognitive Overload Signals Visual Inefficiency

When the visual system is not working optimally, the brain works harder to compensate. This presents as fatigue, difficulty concentrating in complex environments, mild anxiety in busy spaces, or an avoidance of tasks that used to be effortless — reading for pleasure, driving at night, crowded social situations.

These are not psychological symptoms. They are the downstream effects of a visual system under strain. The strain needs to be identified and addressed at its source.

Understanding Symptoms

What You Notice	What It May Indicate	Evaluation Needed
Vision “not what it was” but chart is normal	Early glaucoma / contrast sensitivity loss	Visual field + optic nerve exam
Eyes tired despite good prescription	Binocular vision problem / accommodative fatigue	Vergence and accommodation testing
Vision fluctuates through the day	Dry eye / tear film instability	Tear film and dry eye assessment
Avoiding night driving or crowded spaces	Peripheral field loss / cataract / contrast loss	Full dilated exam + field test
Concentration difficulty during visual tasks	Binocular inefficiency / cognitive visual load	Binocular vision evaluation
Vague sense vision has changed	Early optic nerve involvement	IOP + disc exam + visual field

What Doctors Often Miss

“Your vision is fine” is a statement about your acuity. It is not a statement about your visual function. These are different things, and conflating them leaves patients dismissed when they should be investigated.

The tests that catch early functional decline — contrast sensitivity, visual field testing, binocular vision assessment, tear film evaluation, intraocular pressure measurement, dilated optic nerve examination — are not part of a standard refraction. They must be specifically included or requested.

A good clinician does not stop at the chart. They ask: does this patient’s reported experience match their test results? When it does not, the investigation continues.

When to Worry

See a specialist — not just an optician — if:

Your visual symptoms are affecting daily life despite a normal prescription
You have a family history of glaucoma, diabetes, or early macular disease
You are over 40 and have not had a dilated fundus examination in the past two years
Your symptoms are asymmetric — one eye noticeably different from the other
You feel less visually confident than you did a year ago, without a clear reason

Dr Shibal Bhartiya is a fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist and Mayo Clinic Research Collaborator with over 25 years of experience. Her approach focuses on identifying risk before damage is irreversible, simplifying treatment decisions, and protecting vision long-term. Emphasis on early detection, risk assessment, and continuity of care. She is rated 5 stars across 1,500+ patient reviews on Google.

What This Means for You

Trust your experience. If vision feels different, harder, or less reliable — that information is clinically relevant, even when initial tests are normal. The question to ask is not whether the tests are wrong. The question is whether the right tests were done.

A specialist evaluation for functional visual difficulty goes beyond the chart. It examines how your eyes perform as a system, in conditions that approximate the real world, across the full range of visual functions that matter to daily life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have early glaucoma with 6/6 vision?

Yes. Glaucoma damages the optic nerve progressively, beginning at the periphery. Central acuity — what the chart measures — is often preserved until the disease is advanced. Many patients with significant glaucomatous field loss still read the chart normally. This is precisely why glaucoma is called “the silent thief of sight.”

What is the difference between visual acuity and visual function?

Visual acuity is your ability to resolve fine detail at a specific distance under ideal conditions. Visual function is the full range of what your visual system can do — including contrast detection, peripheral awareness, binocular coordination, low-light performance, and sustained comfortable vision. Acuity is one component of function, not a proxy for all of it.

If my IOP is normal, can I still have glaucoma?

Yes. Normal-tension glaucoma — in which the optic nerve is damaged despite intraocular pressure within the statistically normal range — is particularly prevalent in Indian and East Asian populations. A normal pressure reading does not exclude glaucoma. The optic nerve and visual field must be examined directly.

How often should someone over 40 have a full eye examination?

Anyone over 40 should have a comprehensive eye examination — including IOP measurement, dilated optic nerve assessment, and ideally a baseline visual field test — every one to two years. Those with a family history of glaucoma, diabetes, or high myopia need more frequent evaluation regardless of symptoms.

I feel my vision has changed but my doctor says it’s fine. What should I do?

Seek a second opinion from a fellowship-trained specialist. A comprehensive evaluation should include tests beyond the standard refraction — visual field testing, contrast sensitivity assessment, binocular vision evaluation, tear film assessment, and a dilated examination of the optic nerve. If the right tests have not been done, the question has not been fully answered.

About the Author

This article was written by Dr Shibal Bhartiya, fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist and Mayo Clinic Research Collaborator, Clinical Director at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram, known for ethical, patient-centred glaucoma care and independent glaucoma second opinions. She is also the Program Director for Community Outreach & Wellness; and for the Marengo Asia International Institute of Neuro and Spine.

She has published peer-reviewed research on glaucoma management, examining how treatment decisions should balance medical evidence, patient preferences, and long-term vision outcomes.

As Editor-in-Chief of Clinical and Experimental Vision and Eye Research and Executive Editor of the Journal of Current Glaucoma Practice (Pubmed Indexed, official journal of the International Society of Glaucoma Surgery), Dr Shibal Bhartiya brings editorial and research depth to every clinical decision. Her 200+ publications, including 90+ PubMed-indexed publications and 28 edited textbooks span glaucoma biology, surgical outcomes, health equity, and emerging diagnostics.

1500+ Five Star Patient Reviews Google Business Profile

If you are unable to come to Dr Bhartiya’s clinic: Read more about teleconsultation

Read her research on PubMed | Google Scholar | ResearchGate | ORCID

Upload your reports for a structured review.| www.drshibalbhartiya.com | +91 88826 38735

Leave a review on Google

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