With advances in eye care, ophthalmologists are proud of their work to restore sight and prevent vision loss in our patients. It’s encouraging to think of the millions of people who would have had vision loss without effective and safe eye surgery offered by today’s eye surgeons.

Glaucoma Facts

Glaucoma is a common eye disease that occurs slowly and can be permanent. Some have called it the “silent thief of sight” because it gradually reduces vision over months or years, which can go unnoticed.

Loss of sight from glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve because of abnormally high pressure in the eye. If you’ve ever been to an ophthalmologist and they used an instrument to measure your eye pressure, this procedure and additional tests are done to detect early signs of glaucoma.

Glaucoma usually affects people over the age of 60 but can happen earlier in life. Some risk factors include being black, Asian, Hispanic, and extremely nearsighted or farsighted.

More than 2 million Americans have glaucoma, and it’s thought that about half of those people don’t even know they have it. They might feel like their vision isn’t what it used to be or haven’t yet noticed the loss in vision.

What Can Be Done About Glaucoma

Any disease that causes vision loss can be frightening. When faced with it, you begin to realize how important your vision is for you and your well-being.

Unfortunately, optic nerve damage caused by glaucoma is generally irreversible. This is why going to the eye doctor every year is so important, especially as you grow older. High eye pressure or changes to the nerve can signal to the doctor that you’re at risk for glaucoma, and they can help you take steps to slow or prevent the damage before it happens.

How to Prevent Glaucoma

Thanks to advances in ophthalmology, there are ways to prevent glaucoma progression. If you are diagnosed with glaucoma, your ophthalmologist will likely prescribe you special eyedrops or use a laser to get your eye to produce less fluid or improve outflow, thereby decreasing your eye’s pressure.

Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery tends to be less risky than the other surgeries. Trabeculectomy or tube shunts tend to be reserved for more severe glaucoma. Your ophthalmologist will walk you through the surgeries and discuss your options.

The Outlook

Patients who catch glaucoma early can go on to live healthy, everyday lives. Without treatment, however, optic nerve damage will likely continue, and patients will gradually and permanently lose peripheral vision.

Suppose you have a family history of glaucoma or have previously tested as a glaucoma suspect. In that case, it is crucial that you stay up-to-date on your eye health beyond simply getting your glasses prescription.

Let the eye doctors at Vistar Eye Center rule out or treat glaucoma so you can continue enjoying healthy eyes for years.