Since this month is National Glaucoma Awareness Month, this post is intended to emphasize the importance of knowing about the threat of this vision threatening disease. Glaucoma is the term for a group of progressive ocular diseases that damage the optic nerve, which may lead to irreversible blindness. When uncontrolled, the disease often initially causes peripheral vision loss and then moves to total blindness. Glaucoma is the primary cause of preventable loss of vision and over sixty million individuals around the world suffer from the disease.

The primary cause of glaucoma is known to be elevated pressure in the eye referred to as intraocular pressure. As pressure around the eye is elevated, this damages the optic nerve which transports signals from the eye to the vision centers in the brain. When this system doesn't function properly, vision is impaired. Regrettably, damage to the optic nerve can't be fixed.

The most threatening characteristic of glaucoma is that unlike other forms of vision impairment, it is an asymptomatic condition until irreparable damage is done.
It is due to this that glaucoma is described as the "sneak thief of sight." The quandary is: how can a patient prevent a condition which is asymptomatic?

Early detection of glaucoma is very important to effective care. While everyone may be at risk for glaucoma, certain populations are at higher risk than others. Risk factors for glaucoma can include adults over 45, anyone with family members who have had glaucoma, individuals with a predisposition to diabetes, or other eye conditions such as myopia, hyperopia, eye injuries or high intraocular pressure.

The best way to detect glaucoma is to find a qualified eye doctor. There are a series of diagnostic eye evaluations relied on by doctors to assess damage to the ocular nerves caused by glaucoma. Particularly if you are over 45 or know that you are at risk, make sure to book a routine eye exam on an annual basis.

Unfortunately most kinds of glaucoma cannot be prevented. That being said, the optic nerve damage and loss of vision may be stopped by early diagnosis and proper treatment. Don't delay! Contact Visionary Eye Care today, for a yearly screening for glaucoma.