Many people do not realize the severity of a condition called glaucoma. They also may not realize who is at risk, and other essential glaucoma facts. Want to learn more? Just keep reading to find out what you need to know to be fully informed!
1. Glaucoma Is The Leading Cause Of Blindness
Glaucoma is a treatable condition, but will result in blindness if left untreated. Even with treatment, about 10 percent of glaucoma patients still experience vision loss.
To avoid vision loss, it’s important to get a diagnosis as soon as possible.
2. You May Not Experience Any Symptoms
The most common form of glaucoma is open-angle glaucoma. With open-angle glaucoma, there are no symptoms to act as a warning.
One of the main causes of glaucoma is increased eye pressure, or intraocular pressure. However, increased eye pressure does not cause pain, making it harder to catch.
When vision loss begins, it usually affects the patient’s peripheral vision. While this sounds like an obvious symptom, many patients will not notice it initially.
Instead, glaucoma may only become noticeable when more vision loss occurs.
Although it sounds obvious, glaucoma patients may tilt their heads sideways to compensate. This can help with loss of peripheral vision.
Most patients don’t even realize they are doing it to compensate! It’s more likely that a friend or family member will notice a patient doing it than a patient to realize it.
This is why regular eye examinations are so important. Without symptoms to announce early stages, the only line of defense is your eye doctor.
Glaucoma risk increases with age, so ask your eye doctor if they’d like to start seeing you more than once a year.
3. There Isn’t A Cure For Glaucoma
Because there is no cure for glaucoma, there is no way to reverse vision loss. It is possible to stop the condition from progressing.
By stopping progression, your doctor will be able to protect your remaining vision. Be aware that open-angle glaucoma needs monitoring for the rest of your life as it is a chronic condition.
4. Glaucoma Can Affect Anyone
The truth is that glaucoma can affect anyone. It’s true! Sometimes, babies are even born with glaucoma. Glaucoma risk levels can vary, though.
For example, glaucoma risk does increase with age. The older you are, the higher your correlating risk of developing glaucoma.
Also in the higher risk groups are African-Americans, Latinos, and Asian descent. African-Americans are at a higher risk of developing glaucoma earlier in life. This is when compared to people of other ethnic groups.
Another form of glaucoma- acute angle glaucoma – also affects people of Asian descent at a higher rate.
5. Avoid Glaucoma With Regular Eye Exams
Although there is no cure for glaucoma, your best bet is regular eye exams at Stahl Eyecare Experts! If you know that you are a higher risk of developing glaucoma, you should have annual eye exams. When caught early, glaucoma can be kept in check!
Need more information about glaucoma or how to set up an eye screening? Contact Stahl Eyecare Experts in Long Island for a consultation today!
