The bad news is that glaucoma is incurable. The good news is there are many things you can do to prevent glaucoma with the help of your eye doctor. Andrew Stone Optometry in Columbia, MO, lists the facts about glaucoma you need to know.
What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a family of different eye problems that do the same thing—raise the fluid pressure in your eyes so much it causes damage to your optic nerve.
What Are the Early Signs of Glaucoma?
There are no early signs of glaucoma, but it can be detected through eye exams. This is one reason why regular eye exams are so important. The sooner you know you have glaucoma, the sooner you can start treating it, so it does not progress. The first visual sign you have of glaucoma is a dark patch at the edge of your vision.
What Is the Most Common Type of Glaucoma?
The most common type of glaucoma is called open-angle glaucoma. The dark patch appearing in your peripheral vision happens so gradually that by the time you notice it, the open-angle glaucoma is quite advanced.
Is There a Kind of Glaucoma That Causes Blindness Quickly?
Yes. This is called angle-closure glaucoma. You will get the worst headache of your life, with nausea with or without vomiting, and eye pain. You may also get red eyes, blurry vision, pain in the abdomen, lose part of your vision, or see haloes around lights. If you experience these symptoms, you need to go to the hospital immediately or you will go blind.
Who Is Most at Risk of Getting Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is most common in people over 60, people who suffered an eye injury, people who use steroid medications for long periods of time, people of Hispanic, Asian, or African American descent, people with extreme nearsightedness, people with extreme farsightedness, and people who have close family members that have glaucoma. People with certain health problems are also prone. These include diabetics and people suffering from sickle cell anemia, heart disease, or high blood pressure.
Does Glaucoma Only Happen in Older Age?
It’s a common misconception that only older people get glaucoma. It can happen at any age. This is why it’s important to get eye exams regularly, starting at an early age, from your optometrist.
What Is the Treatment for Glaucoma?
Treatment is first done with pills or prescription eye drops. Any underlying medical conditions that contribute to glaucoma need to be treated by your eye doctor in order to slow down the disease. If these fail to work, then surgery on the eyes needs to be done.
Still Have Questions?
If you have further questions about glaucoma and live in the Columbia, MO, area, contact Andrew Stone Optometry by emailing [email protected] or by calling (573) 445-7750 to make an appointment today.
