This Month is National Glaucoma Awareness Month
Since this month is National Glaucoma Awareness Month, this post is intended to emphasize the importance of regular screening for this vision threatening disease. Glaucoma is the term for a group of progressive ocular diseases that cause damage to the eye's optic nerve, which can cause blindness. If uncontrolled, the disease often initially shows up as vision loss in the periphery of the visual field until it eventually results in total blindness. Glaucoma is the number one reason for avoidable loss of vision and more than sixty million individuals worldwide have the disease.
The leading cause of glaucoma is thought to be elevated pressure around the optic nerve known as intraocular pressure. As the pressure increases, this causes damage to the optic nerve which delivers messages from the eye to the brain. In instances where this pathway is damaged eyesight is impaired. Unfortunately, damage to the optic nerve can't be reversed.
Glaucoma is particularly threatening because distinct from other causes of blindness, it is asymptomatic until it may be too late.
It is because of the disease's subtle nature glaucoma has acquired the nickname the "sneak thief of sight." This may leave you wondering: how do you protect yourself against a condition which lacks any tell-tale symptoms?
Prompt detection of the disease is essential for effective care. Although everyone may be at risk for glaucoma, specific populations are more at risk than others. Serious risk factors for glaucoma can include those over 45, individuals having family members who have had glaucoma, individuals with a predisposition to diabetes, or known eye conditions such as high intraocular pressure.
The best way to detect glaucoma is to speak to your optometrist. There are several diagnostic eye evaluations employed to check intraocular pressure and the risk of glaucoma. Especially if you are 45 or older or have one of the other risk factors named above, it's important to schedule a comprehensive eye exam on an annual basis.
The fact is for the most part glaucoma cannot be prevented. However the loss of sight caused by damage to the optic nerve can be prevented by a reliable diagnosis and treatment. Contact Eye Tech Eyes today, for a yearly glaucoma screening.
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