This Month Raise Your Awareness of Glaucoma

Since this month has been designated National Glaucoma Awareness Month, in this article we would like to review the importance of knowing about the threat of glaucoma. Glaucoma is a category of eye diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve, which can be a precursor to irreversible blindness. If not treated, the disease often first shows up as vision loss in the periphery of the visual field and then moves to total blindness. It is thought to be the leading reason for avoidable loss of vision and more than 60 million people worldwide are afflicted with the disease.

One of the main causes of glaucoma is known to be increased pressure around the optic nerve known as intraocular pressure. The elevation in pressure damages the optic nerve which transports messages from the eye to the vision centers in the brain. When this system doesn't work properly, eyesight is impaired. Unfortunately, optic nerve damage can't be corrected.

Glaucoma is especially dangerous because distinct from other causes of blindness, there are no symptoms until it may be too late.
It is because of the disease's subtle nature glaucoma is described as the "sneak thief of sight." This may leave you wondering: how can a patient diagnose a disease which is asymptomatic?

Early detection of the disease is essential for effective care. While glaucoma risk is universal, certain populations are more at risk than others. Serious risk factors for glaucoma may include anyone over 45, those having family members who have had glaucoma, a predisposition towards diabetes, or other eye conditions such as myopia, hyperopia, eye injuries or elevated intraocular pressure.

You can learn more about glaucoma if you contact an optometrist. There are several diagnostic eye examinations used to measure the beginnings of glaucoma. Especially if you are 45 or older or know that you are at risk, it's important to schedule a routine eye examination annually.

It is unfortunate that for the most part glaucoma is not preventable. That being said, the loss of sight caused by damage to the optic nerve can be halted by a reliable diagnosis and treatment. Contact Steadman Eye Associates today, for a yearly screening for glaucoma.