It's National Glaucoma Awareness Month

In an effort to spread the word about the ''silent blinding diseases,'' this month has been named National Glaucoma Awareness Month. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness, responsible for 9%-12% of all cases of blindness in the United States and effecting nearly 70 million people worldwide. Since the disease is initially asymptomatic, experts believe that nearly half of those with the disease are unaware of their illness.

Glaucoma is the name for a category of ocular diseases that have the common affect of causing damage to the eye's optic nerve, the channel that carries images to be processed in the brain. Although glaucoma can affect anyone, those at higher risk include African Americans above 40 years of age, anyone over age 60, in particular Mexican Americans, and those with a family history of glaucoma.

Since blindness of this kind is irreversible, early diagnosis of glaucoma is imperative. This is difficult however, because symptoms don’t present themselves before optical nerve damage has occurred, often being noticed when peripheral (side) vision is already gone.

Treatment for glaucoma depends on the type of glaucoma and the amount of damage, and includes pressure-reducing eye surgery or medications, often eye drops. While experts are researching a cure, it has not yet been found and therefore proper diagnosis and treatment are vital to prevent vision loss. Since glaucoma develops gradually and requires constant attention, it is preferable to find an eye care professional experienced in this condition.

According to a recent survey of the National Eye Institute of the NIH, while ninety percent of people had heard of glaucoma, a mere eight percent knew that it has no early warning signs. Only a qualified optometrist can identify the initial signs of glaucoma, using a comprehensive eye exam. We suggest a yearly eye exam as your best defense against this silent disease. Schedule your annual comprehensive eye exam today.

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