Since this month has been designated National Glaucoma Awareness Month, this post is intended to spread the word about the importance of being aware of the threat of glaucoma. Glaucoma is the term for a class of eye disorders that cause damage to the optic nerve, which may be a precursor to a loss of vision. If not treated, the disease often initially results in peripheral vision loss and then moves to total blindness. Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable vision loss and statistics show that over 60 million individuals around the world are afflicted with the vision threatening condition.

The leading cause of glaucoma is known to be increased pressure in the eye. The elevation in pressure damages the optic nerve which transports signals to the vision centers in the brain. When this pathway doesn't work as needed, vision is impaired. At the current time, optic nerve damage is usually irreversible.

The most dangerous characteristic of glaucoma is that distinct from other causes of vision loss, there are no symptoms until it may be too late.
It is due to this that glaucoma has acquired the nickname the "sneak thief of sight." The question is: is it possible to protect yourself against a condition which is asymptomatic?

Prompt diagnosis of glaucoma is important to effective care. While everyone may be at risk for glaucoma, specific populations are at higher risk than others. Major risk factors for glaucoma can include those over 45, individuals with a family history of glaucoma, individuals with a predisposition to diabetes, or known eye conditions such as high intraocular pressure.

The best way to detect glaucoma is to contact an optometrist. There are several diagnostic eye tests relied on by doctors to check damage to the ocular nerves caused by glaucoma. Particularly if you are 45 or older or have one of the other risk factors named above, make sure to book a comprehensive eye exam at least once a year.

Unfortunately most kinds of glaucoma cannot be prevented. That being said, the loss of sight caused by damage to the optic nerve may be slowed by a reliable diagnosis and treatment. Contact Eagle Family Vision today, for a yearly glaucoma screening.