Glaucoma is a group of eye disorders that lead to progressive damage to the optic nerve. People with glaucoma can lose nerve tissue, resulting in vision loss.
Risk factors for Glaucoma:
There are many factors that can increase your risk for glaucoma such as increase age, race (African Americans are significantly more likely to get glaucoma than Caucasians), family history of glaucoma, and prolonged corticosteroid use. Some studies show that medical conditions such diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease may increase the risk of developing glaucoma.
Signs and Symptoms:
Glaucoma often is called the “silent thief of sight,” because most types typically cause no pain and produce no symptoms until noticeable vision loss occurs.
For this reason, glaucoma often progresses undetected until the optic nerve already has been irreversibly damaged, with varying degrees of permanent vision loss.
Normal Vision
How Glaucoma Affects Vision
Treatment and Prevention:
Treatment can involve glaucoma surgery, lasers or medication, depending on the severity. Eye drops with medication aimed at lowering eye pressure usually are tried first to control glaucoma. If glaucoma is diagnosed and treated early, it can usually be controlled. However, vision already lost to glaucoma cannot be restored. That is why the American Optometric Association recommends an annual dilated eye examination for people at risk for glaucoma. Depending on your specific condition, your eye doctor may recommend more frequent examinations. Early detection, prompt treatment and regular monitoring can help to control glaucoma and reduce the chances for vision loss.
Consult your optometrist in Riverdale today for any questions on how to treat glaucoma.
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