A longtime resident of North Carolina, Donnie Rhett Koonce is an experienced ophthalmic technician who has practiced at Charlotte Optometric Clinic since 2012. In this role, Donnie Rhett Koonce renders retinal images for patients as well as conducts blood pressure and glaucoma screenings.
Glaucoma is an eye disorder that occurs when the optic nerve becomes damaged, mostly due to pinching from pressure buildup. The buildup of pressure in the eye is often a consequence of fluid accretion. The implications of the consequent damage to the optic nerve can cause tunnel vision (when a person can't see things outside the center of the visual field clearly), blurred vision, or gradual loss of side vision. The symptoms above may not be present until the optic nerve is severely damaged, which is why many people with glaucoma are unaware of the condition. In the United States, 50 percent of people with glaucoma don't know they have an eye disorder because symptoms are yet to be noticed.
At a severe stage, glaucoma can result in blindness. For this reason, glaucoma screening is germane to preserving vision. Diabetic patients, African Americans, seniors, and people with a family history of glaucoma are high-risk individuals. Certain eye defects, including myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness), are also risk factors. The best way forward for people with one or more of these risk factors is to get screened for the condition. Generally, people over 40 should also get screened for glaucoma if they haven't done the test before.
