Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide. Often called the “silent thief of sight,” glaucoma is a family of more than thirty diseases affecting more than three million Americans. It causes damage to the eye’s optic nerve which is responsible for sending messages to our brain, allowing us to see. In its most common form, open-angle glaucoma, the eye’s normal drainage system becomes clogged, and a backup of fluid occurs. This backup causes a rise in the pressure inside the eve (intraocular pressure) which, if left untreated, damages the sensitive nerve and results in permanent loss of vision. Usually no symptoms are apparent until the optic nerve is already severely damaged.
Anyone can develop glaucoma but most at risk are those over age 60, anyone with a family history of glaucoma, a previous eye injury or surgery, or people diagnosed with high eye pressure. African-Americans over age 40 and people of Asian or Hispanic descent have increased risk, and medical conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure and long term use of corticosteroid medications are risk factors.
There are no early symptoms for open-angle glaucoma and it is not typically painful. As the condition progresses you might gradually develop blind spots in your peripheral vision and during the latter stages blurriness may occur in the middle of your vision. Loss of vision caused by open- angle glaucoma cannot be restored, but treatment includes eye drops, oral medication and/or laser surgery.
nI July of 2022 the Review of Optometry stated that the number of patients with glaucoma in the United States is projected to increase from 3 million in 2020 to 6.3 million in 2050. The best thing you can do is to have regular eye examinations in order to diagnose glaucoma in its early stages. With early detection and treatment the disease can be controlled and permanent vision loss can be prevented.
