Glaucoma Care by Board‑Certified Ophthalmologists in Upland, CA
Eye MD's of Inland Affiliate
What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of progressive eye diseases that damage the optic nerve — the bundle of over a million nerve fibers that carries visual information from the eye to the brain. As that damage builds up, it produces a characteristic, permanent pattern of vision loss, usually beginning in the peripheral (side) vision and gradually advancing inward if left untreated. Worldwide, glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness — which is exactly why early detection matters so much.
- ✓It's not defined by eye pressure alone. Elevated eye pressure (intraocular pressure, or IOP) is the most important treatable risk factor, but glaucoma is defined by damage to the optic nerve and visual field — not by any single pressure number.
- ✓It can occur at any eye pressure, including normal pressure. Some people develop glaucoma with eye pressure that measures entirely within the statistically "normal" range (a form called normal-tension glaucoma), while others have elevated eye pressure for years without ever developing optic nerve damage (ocular hypertension). What matters most is how pressure, combined with each person's individual optic nerve, corneal thickness, and blood flow, affects the nerve over time.
- ✓Damage is permanent, but progression can be stopped. Vision already lost to glaucoma cannot be restored, but with early diagnosis and consistent treatment, further progression can usually be slowed or halted — which is why catching it early changes everything.
Glaucoma is often called "the silent thief of sight." In its early and moderate stages it typically causes no pain, no redness, and no noticeable change in vision. Peripheral vision loss is easy to miss because the brain fills in the gaps, and by the time most people notice a problem on their own, meaningful, permanent vision loss has often already occurred. Glaucoma cannot be reliably self-detected — which is why routine screening isn't optional for anyone at risk.
Because glaucoma has no early symptoms, diagnosis depends on objective testing rather than how your eyes feel. At Inland Glaucoma Center, we use advanced imaging — including spectral-domain OCT (optical coherence tomography), a high-resolution, MRI-like scan of the optic nerve — alongside visual field testing, gonioscopy, and precise eye pressure measurement to detect the disease at its earliest, most treatable stage, and to track it over time with a level of precision that a standard eye exam alone can't provide. Learn more about our screening & diagnosis process →
Expert glaucoma care in Upland and the Inland Empire
Inland Glaucoma Center provides advanced diagnosis and treatment for every type of glaucoma. Our board-certified, UCLA / Jules Stein fellowship-trained ophthalmologists use the latest imaging technology — including spectral-domain OCT, comparable to an MRI of the eye — to detect and manage glaucoma early, when vision can still be protected. As an Eye MD's of Inland affiliate, we proudly serve patients throughout the Inland Empire — Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Claremont, Montclair, Chino, and the greater Riverside and San Bernardino areas.
Conditions we treat
Accurate diagnosis is the first step to protecting your sight. We diagnose and manage all forms of glaucoma. Click here for more information on all the conditions we treat →
Glaucoma Screening & Diagnosis
Comprehensive eye examinations using the latest imaging and functional testing to diagnose and manage all types of glaucoma.
Learn more →Open-Angle Glaucoma
The most common type. We use high-resolution spectral-domain OCT with IOP testing, gonioscopy, and visual-field analysis for a precise evaluation.
Learn more →Narrow Angles
Anterior-segment OCT precisely measures your drainage angle to assess angle-closure risk; laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) treats narrow angles when needed.
Learn more →Angle-Closure Glaucoma
A blocked drainage angle causes a sudden, dangerous rise in eye pressure — severe pain, blurred vision, halos, headache, nausea. A medical emergency.
Learn more →Normal-Pressure Glaucoma
Optic-nerve damage can occur even at normal eye pressure. High-resolution OCT and visual-field testing detect subtle early changes.
Learn more →Am I at risk for glaucoma?
Glaucoma often has no early symptoms. Check any that apply to you — it takes 20 seconds and nothing you enter is saved or sent.
This is an educational risk-awareness tool, not a diagnosis. Only a comprehensive eye exam can diagnose glaucoma. If you have any risk factors or concerns, please schedule an evaluation.
Glaucoma treatment options
We provide a full spectrum of glaucoma care, from early treatment to advanced surgery, tailored to your condition. Services include prescription eye-drop therapies, Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT), and Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI). For surgical management we offer minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) such as canaloplasty, goniotomy, OMNI, Hydrus, iStent, and XEN, and when necessary, trabeculectomy and Ahmed valve procedures to control intraocular pressure and preserve vision.
Why choose Inland Glaucoma Center
- ✓ UCLA / Jules Stein fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist
- ✓ Board-certified ophthalmologists
- ✓ Advanced spectral-domain OCT imaging — an MRI of the eye
- ✓ Full range of laser & minimally invasive surgery (MIGS)
- ✓ Care in English and Spanish
- ✓ Serving the entire Inland Empire from Upland and surrounding regions
Robert Gunzenhauser, MD
UCLA / Jules Stein Glaucoma Fellowship · Harvard Educated · Board Certified
Board-certified ophthalmologist with sub-specialty fellowship training in glaucoma and expertise in premium cataract surgery. Published in the Journal of Glaucoma. Fluent in English and Spanish.
Marc Shomer, MD PhD
UCLA MD-PhD · Jules Stein Residency · Board Certified · Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of USC
UCLA-trained MD-PhD and board-certified ophthalmologist caring for glaucoma patients across Upland and the Inland Empire. As an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, he teaches glaucoma to the next generation of residents and fellows. Care in English and Spanish.
What Our Patients Say
Our patients rate Inland Glaucoma Center 5.0 out of 5 stars on Google (10 reviews) and 5.0 on Yelp. Here is what a few of them have shared about their care.
“Dr. Gunzenhauser is amazing! I can’t thank him and Dr. Shomer enough. And their team are all professionals. If you need anything eye related… go to them, the Eye MDs!”
“I love Dr. Shomer — he is very thorough and has performed procedures on me and always takes the time to explain everything.”
“I sent my wife to Dr. Gunzenhauser to manage a possible glaucoma. He was very thorough… I was very impressed with his training credentials coming from UCLA as a glaucoma specialist. He looked at every aspect of her eye, and even found a little dark spot in her retina that her other ophthalmologist did not find.”
Frequently asked questions
What are the early signs of glaucoma?
Open-angle glaucoma, the most common type, usually has no early symptoms and slowly reduces peripheral vision. Because vision loss is permanent, regular eye-pressure checks and optic-nerve imaging are the best way to catch it early. Angle-closure glaucoma can cause sudden eye pain, blurred vision, halos, headache and nausea, and is a medical emergency.
Where are you located and who do you serve?
We are at 1298 West 7th Street, Upland, CA 91786, serving patients throughout the Inland Empire including Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Claremont, Montclair, Chino, Riverside and San Bernardino.
What glaucoma treatments do you offer?
Prescription eye drops, SLT and LPI laser therapy, and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) including canaloplasty, goniotomy, OMNI, Hydrus, iStent and XEN, plus trabeculectomy and Ahmed valve procedures when needed.
Are your ophthalmologists board certified?
Yes. Our ophthalmologists are board certified and completed sub-specialty training at UCLA's Jules Stein Eye Institute. We provide care in English and Spanish.
Visit us in Upland
1298 West 7th Street, Upland, CA 91786
909-315-6891
Hours
Monday–Friday: 8:00am–5:00pmSaturday–Sunday: Closed