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New Year Eye Exam
Early Diagnosis and Treatment Can Lessen Effects of Glaucoma, the “Sneak Thief of Sight”
Many people are making New Year’s resolutions to improve their health. However, many may not be aware that an eye exam cannot only help to protect vision, it can uncover evidence of other diseases including diabetes or hypertension.
And, for eye diseases such as glaucoma, the damaging effects may be detected through an eye exam before a patient notices any symptoms. In fact, patients in the early stages of glaucoma usually have no symptoms, no noticeable vision loss and no pain, which is why it is called the “sneak thief of sight.” By the time symptoms start to appear, some permanent damage to the eye has usually occurred.
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world and the leading cause of blindness in African American and Hispanic populations in America. According to the study “Vision Problems in the U.S.” by Prevent Blindness America and the National Eye Institute (NEI), there are nearly 2.3 million Americans ages 40 and older who have glaucoma.
Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes loss of sight by damaging a part of the eye called the optic nerve. This nerve sends information from the eyes to the brain. When the optic nerve is damaged, peripheral vision begins to diminish. If left untreated, over time, glaucoma may also damage central vision. Unfortunately, once vision is lost to glaucoma, it cannot be restored. Vision loss can be lessened, however, if glaucoma is detected and treated early.
Prevent Blindness America has joined other leading eye care groups to build awareness during January’s National Glaucoma Awareness Month to educate the public on what they can do to help save their vision.
There are many risk factors for glaucoma including:
- Age: Those that are 40 and older are more likely to develop glaucoma. The older you are, the greater your risk.
- Race: Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in African American and Hispanic populations in America.
- Family History: If you have a parent or sibling who has glaucoma, you are more likely to develop the disease.
- Diabetes: People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing glaucoma.
- Nearsightedness: People who are very nearsighted are at greater risk.
- Eye Injury or Surgery: Those who have had eye surgery or eye injuries may develop secondary glaucoma.
- Steroid Medication: Steroids may increase the risk of glaucoma when used for extended periods of time.
To help educate the public on glaucoma, including risk factors, symptoms, treatment options and more, Prevent Blindness, in partnership with Responsum Health, has launched the new resource, “The Glaucoma Community” This comprehensive resource, accessible online or through the mobile app, provides users with a variety of features including:
- A personalized Newsfeed
- A Community Chat function
- Dedicated Facebook page
- Glaucoma content in seven different languages
- A Patient One-Sheet, which allows patients to easily collect, maintain, and print their key medical information in a secure format.
- Access to extensive patient resources, including financial assistance programs and glaucoma support groups.
“The Glaucoma Community was designed to provide the public with multiple tools to help save sight from one of the most prevalent eye diseases in the world,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “As the New Year unfolds, we encourage everyone to make a strong commitment to their vision health by making an appointment with an eye doctor as soon as possible. By detecting and treating vision problems early, including glaucoma, we can help protect the precious gift of sight.”
For those in need of financial assistance, “The Glaucoma Program” from the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeCare America, provides a glaucoma eye exam at no cost to those who are eligible and uninsured. For information on additional financial assistance programs in English or Spanish, including Medicare coverage.
Source: Prevent Blindness