This Month Heighten Your Awareness of Glaucoma
As January marks National Glaucoma Awareness Month, in this article we would like to review the importance of being aware of the threat of glaucoma. Glaucoma is a class of progressive ocular disorders that cause damage to the eye's optic nerve, which may lead to blindness. When untreated, glaucoma often initially shows up as vision loss in the periphery of the visual field until it eventually results in total blindness. It is thought to be the leading reason for preventable vision loss and, according to estimates, over 60 million individuals around the world have the disease.
One of the main causes of glaucoma is considered to be increased pressure around the optic nerve known as intraocular pressure. The elevation in pressure damages the optic nerve which is responsible for delivering messages from the eye to the vision centers in the brain. In instances where this system doesn't work as needed, eyesight is impaired. Regrettably, optic nerve damage can't be reversed.
Glaucoma is particularly threatening because unlike other forms of vision impairment, there are no signs that indicate the existence of the condition until vision is already lost.
It is because of the disease's subtle nature glaucoma is described as the "sneak thief of sight." This may leave you asking: how can one protect oneself against a condition which has no obvious symptoms?
Prompt diagnosis of the disease is necessary for effective care. While everyone may be at risk for glaucoma, specific populations are at higher risk than others. Serious risk factors for glaucoma can include those over 45, individuals having family members who have had glaucoma, a predisposition to diabetes, or other eye conditions such as myopia, hyperopia, eye injuries or elevated intraocular pressure.
You can learn more about glaucoma if you speak to your eye doctor. There are a series of diagnostic eye examinations employed to assess intraocular pressure and the risk of glaucoma. Particularly if you are 45 or older or know that you are at risk, it's important to plan for a comprehensive eye exam at least once a year.
It is unfortunate that for the most part glaucoma cannot be prevented. However the damage to the optic nerve and deterioration of vision can be halted by early diagnosis and prompt treatment. Don't delay! Contact Steinway Eye Care now, for a yearly screening for glaucoma.
