An ophthalmic technician and assistant, Donnie Rhett Koonce has been serving the Charlotte Optometric Clinic for over seven years, with responsibilities ranging from scheduling appointments to translating the consultations for Spanish-speaking patients. At the Clinic, Donnie Rhett Koonce is also responsible for conducting screenings for glaucoma and measuring blood pressure.
A prevalent disease that often develops slowly, open-angle glaucoma typically occurs when the pressure of the optical fluids rises over time, leading to blindness. People with open-angle glaucoma hardly notice the symptoms, which generally start with a blind spot that can progress to an advanced stage.
People with high risks of glaucoma are recommended to have at least a dilated pupil eye exam every one or two years. Some other tests can be conducted by an ophthalmologist or optometrist to diagnose glaucoma, such as tonometry, in which the air pressure inside the eye is measured. The visual acuity test to measure sight at different distances can also be used.
Glaucoma can damage the optic nerve, and there are two tests used to determine its health. One is the ophthalmoscopy, in which the doctor examines the interior of the eye with a special instrument, and another is optic nerve imaging, with which the doctor can document optic nerve changes over time.
Donnie Rhett Koonce 