January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. It is important to schedule regular eye exams to help prevent, diagnose, or treat this disease! Here are 5 things you may not know about glaucoma:
- Glaucoma can cause vision loss and blindness, which can’t be reversed.
Glaucoma causes fluid to build up in your eye, causing pressure that can damage the optic nerve, which transfers visual images to your brain. You can save your vision with early detection and treatment. - There are no early symptoms.
Glaucoma often has no early warning signs. No pain. No discomfort. No blurry vision. Only advanced glaucoma will affect your vision. Don’t wait for symptoms to arise before visiting the eye doctor! - In the United States, half the people who have glaucoma don’t know they do.
Nearly 3 million Americans have glaucoma, and nearly half of them don’t know it. The absence of symptoms are preventing people from detecting the disease early. - Some people are at higher risk than others.
African Americans over 40, adults over 60 – especially Hispanics/Latinos, and people with a family history of glaucoma are at higher risk, making early detection especially important. - There is only one way to know if you have glaucoma.
Getting a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the only way to find out if you have glaucoma. During the exam, an eye care professional places drops in your eyes to widen the pupils and looks for signs of the disease in the optic nerve.
Keep your eyes healthy by scheduling an eye exam today. Call or text 866.682.4842
Article adapted from National Eye Institute
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