Glaucoma is called the ‘sneak thief of sight’, and for good reason. This disease progresses slowly, gradually ‘stealing’ your vision. Sometimes it takes years to be diagnosed. In an effort to raise awareness of this sad disease, January was designated Glaucoma Awareness Month.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness in the United States. Currently, 2.7 million people in the United States over the age of 40 suffer from glaucoma. This number is expected to increase dramatically within the next 16 sixteen years. By 2030, the National Eye Institute estimates this number will reach 4.2 million.
Because this ‘sneak thief’ disease progresses so gradually, there are many people who are unaware that they have it until their vision is already permanently damaged. As much as 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing. In fact, as many as 1.3 million Americans have glaucoma but don’t yet know it.
While glaucoma most commonly affects individuals over the age of 40, especially those 70-80, it can also occur in younger generations, including newborn babies. It is most prevalent in African-Americans and Hispanic Latino’s. Glaucoma is 6-8 times more likely to afflict an African American than a Caucasian.
What is Glaucoma?
Contrary to majority belief, glaucoma is not one single disease of the eye, but a group of diseases that result in optic nerve damage that leads to loss of vision. The culprit is almost invariably the result of high pressure building up inside of your eye.
There are two main types of glaucoma: primary open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma. These are both types of the disease that are marked by intraocular pressure. In open-angle glaucoma, this pressure within the eye is formed by fluid build up from the aqueous humor, and puts increasing pressure on the optic nerve at the back of the eye. This pressure causes nerve damage, gradually inhibiting vision until the patient goes blind.
The second type of glaucoma refers to any case in which another disease contributes to eye pressure that results in optic nerve damage. If the optic nerve becomes so damaged that it is unable to send images to the brain, the individual will become completely blind.
Symptoms
Because glaucoma usually occurs so gradually, there are virtually no symptoms until there is already a lot of damage. Vision loss usually begins in the peripheral or side vision.
Because of this lack of indication of the disease, the best form of prevention is to have regular eye exams. They will test the pressure of your eye, your peripheral capabilities, and thus be able to diagnose the disease in its early stages.
It’s also important to inquire into your family medical history. Glaucoma runs in families, so those who have a parent, grandparent, or other relative with the disease are at a higher risk of developing it themselves, and should be screened regularly.
Other high-risk groups are people over the age of 60, diabetics, people of African, Asian and Hispanic heritage, and those who are severely nearsighted. These individuals would greatly benefit from regular glaucoma screenings, as catching the disease in its initial stages allows doctors to halt or drastically slow its progress.
While glaucoma cannot be reversed entirely, there are medications and surgeries available to reduce its effects, allowing victims of the disease to enjoy their sight years longer than if they had foregone treatment. However, glaucoma is a chronic condition, and while it may be possible to impede further vision loss, it must be regularly monitored for the rest of your life.
January is glaucoma awareness month. Be thankful for your vision this month, and be sure to encourage anyone you know with glaucoma.
This article is for informative purposes for the general public. Western Washington Medical Group does not intend to ascribe diagnoses through this post, and advises individuals who feel that they may have symptoms described to seek professional medical attention.