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Grossnickle Eye Center Inc., Warsaw, is the first clinic in northern Indiana to offer a new laser technology - GDx Nerve Fiber Analyzer, which is used to diagnose glaucoma.
"This is the only one installed in northern Indiana," Grossnickle administrator Shirley Rhodes said. "That's what the manufacturer is telling us."
The GDx is manufactured by Diagnostic Technologies Inc., San Diego, Calif.
Rhodes said Grossnickle was looking at the GDx for more than a year before finally deciding to purchase it. Cost of the machine is approximately $70,000.
"We just received it a week ago," Rhodes said Wednesday. And already nearly 200 patients have been scanned for glaucoma, including Grossnickle employees.
Certified retinal angiographer Stuart Alfred said glaucoma is a painless eye disease caused by increased pressure within the eyeball that can damage the optic nerve. Nearly 50 percent of glaucoma sufferers do not know they have the disease, which can eventually lead to vision loss.
To detect glaucoma before blindness occurs, Alfred said, "sometimes (a person will) notice a difference in seeing and during our eye exam we find that the pressure is high. Generally it's picked up during a routine eye exam."
The GDx can "diagnose (glaucoma) before they have visual defects," Alfred said. The test measures a thin layer of tissue surrounding the optic nerve and is painless for the patient.
Christopher Knight, M.D., at Grossnickle, said the new technology is a more precise and accurate test than the puff test that is now used. This test is used to measure intraocular pressure.
Alfred said the puff test doesn't always detect the disease because numerous glaucoma sufferers have no elevation of pressure.
"I perform the (new laser) procedure and then the doctor reads the results," Alfred said.
The procedure involves "shining polar light in the patient's eye for 0.7 seconds," Alfred said. "If the patient is able to cooperate, we don't have to repeat the scan."
Alfred said the new laser procedure is painless and quick and works by using polarized light to pass through the nerve fiber layer. He emphasized that the laser is simply "amplified light." This light measures 65,536 points on the tissue layer.
Once the eyes are scanned, the images are processed by a computer that "maps" the nerve fibers and instantly compares them to a database of healthy, glaucoma-free patients. Alfred said the comparisons include a "cross-section of people with and without glaucoma (of) all races and sexes." Each comparison is matched up with someone of the same race, gender and ethnic background.
The entire process, scanning both eyes, entering data into the computer and reading the results, takes about 20 minutes.
"(Through this new technology), we can measure tissue that's being damaged by disease," Knight said. He also said the procedure is "completely safe."
The procedure costs about $75 per eye.
"We usually work with patients (on the price)," Alfred said.
Who can get glaucoma? Rhodes said glaucoma "basically can really affect people of all races and ages." She said the disease is the "leading cause of blindness."
Those at a higher risk for the disease include diabetics, long-term steroid users, African Americans over age 35, Caucasians over age 50 and those with a family history of glaucoma.
"We try to encourage the public to get glaucoma (testing) regularly and see an eye doctor," Rhodes said.
With the new GDx Nerve Fiber Analyzer, glaucoma can be detected in its earlier stages.
"The new laser technology will have broad use in the future for those who desire accurate and rapid glaucoma detection," Knight said. "As the population ages, glaucoma detection and treatment will become a greater concern, and it is vital to use leading-edge technology to effectively meet that need."
"It's pretty amazing," Alfred said.
"We're just really tickled to have this piece of equipment in our facility," Rhodes said. "It's a new technology that's just not available every(where)."
