The Sneak Thief of Sight

 

Glaucoma can rob you blind!

 

 

 

What is Glaucoma?

It is a common eye disease that causes damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve is like a cable that transmits images from the eye to the brain. As the nerve becomes damaged, vision is lost, usually gradually at first. Elevated eye pressure is the most important single factor in causing the damage seen in glaucoma.

There are two main types of glaucoma, open-angle and closed-angle. The term “angle” refers to the part of the eye that controls eye pressure. In the United States, the open-angle type is the most common.

Who Should Get Checked?

Everyone should have a comprehensive dilated eye examination around age 40 to assess the health of the eyes and look for risk factors for diseases such as glaucoma. The risk factors identified will determine the proper exam interval for the future.

Major Risk Factors for Glaucoma
· Age 60 and older
· Elevated eye pressure
· Family history of glaucoma
· African or Spanish ancestry
· Extreme farsightedness or nearsightedness
· Past eye injuries
· Steroid use
· Other health problems such as diabetes or migraine headaches

People of African decent have a particularly high risk of glaucoma and tend to develop the disease at a younger age, often in the forties. Glaucoma is the leading cause of legal blindness in African-Americans.

What are the Symptoms?

In most common forms of glaucoma, vision loss is gradual and painless. By the time a person notices vision loss from glaucoma in their daily activities, they already have severe glaucoma damage.

A less common but serious type of glaucoma, known as acute angle-closure glaucoma, can cause a rapid and extreme increase in eye pressure, resulting in severe eye pain, blurred vision, halos around lights, headache, and often nausea. This is an emergency, requiring the immediate attention of an Eye M.D. to prevent permanent severe vision loss.

What are the Treatments?

There are several effective treatments available for glaucoma, including medication, laser, and incisional surgery. Most people with glaucoma are successfully treated with daily prescription eye drops. Although side effects from medications can occur, most current treatments are very well tolerated. Laser treatment is also widely used, often in addition to medication. Incisional surgery for glaucoma is usually reserved for more severe cases.

What is the Prognosis?

The most important factor for preserving vision in glaucoma is early detection of the disease. When treatment is started early in the disease process, the prognosis for preserving vision is excellent.

Once a diagnosis of glaucoma has been made, it is important to be faithful with follow-up and to use prescribed medications properly. There is no cure for glaucoma, but with currently available treatments, the majority of those affected can maintain good vision.

To find out more about glaucoma and other eye conditions, go to www.eyecareamerica.org or www.nei.nih.gov.