January is Glaucoma Awareness Month.

Glaucoma The Silent Thief Three million American have glaucoma, which is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States. “It’s astounding, but 50 percent of the people who have glaucoma aren’t even aware that they have the disease,” explains Dr. Mark Miller, of Vision Source Centennial Hills. What’s alarming is that roughly 120,000 Americans have lost their vision to glaucoma, a disease that can begin to wreck havoc on person’s vision before a single symptom is apparent.  Yet if it’s caught early, there is hope. In fact, the Glaucoma Foundation estimates that 90 percent of cases could have been prevented if early detection had occurred. “The longer a person goes undiagnosed the less of a chance we have to begin treatment to at least preserve their vision. Since there’s no cure early detection is crucial,” adds Dr. Miller. What is Glaucoma Glaucoma is a group of diseases characterized by increased fluid pressure inside the eye that results in damage to the optic nerve.  This damage to the nerve fibers in the optic nerve can lead to vision loss. The reason that the pressure in the eye elevates and how the drainage system becomes blocked sometimes unknown. And the only way glaucoma can be detected is through an eye exam. •       Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) – The most common form of glaucoma in the United States, POAG occurs when the eye’s drainage canals become clogged and inner eye pressure rises because the fluid cannot drain. There are no symptoms, and if not diagnosed early, POAG can lead to vision loss. It does respond to medication, especially in its early stages. •       Secondary Glaucoma – Occurs as the result of another condition such as cataracts, eye injury, or diabetes. Steroids and other drugs can also cause this form of the disease. •       Normal Tension Glaucoma – In this case, though intraocular pressure is not very high or may even read as normal, the optic nerve is still damaged. It is not known why this occurs. High-risk candidates include those with a family history of normal tension glaucoma.  Facts & Stats More than three million Americans have glaucoma; 50 percent of these people are unaware they have the disease. Roughly 120,000 Americans have lost their vision to glaucoma, accounting for 12 percent of all cases of blindness in the United States.  Symptoms Glaucoma has no symptoms, and increased eye pressure causes no pain. Glaucoma can only be detected through an eye exam.  Who is at Risk Women and men over age 60 are six times more likely to develop glaucoma. Glaucoma is the number one cause of blindness among African-Americans, who are six to eight times more likely to develop the disease than Caucasians. Latinos over age 60 fall into a high-risk category.  What to Do The treatment for glaucoma includes prescription eye drops and medicines to lower the pressure in your eyes. In some cases, laser treatment or surgery may be effective in reducing pressure.  Vision Source and the American Optometric Association recommend annual eye examinations for people at risk for glaucoma.  A comprehensive eye examination will include a tonometry test to measure the pressure in your eyes; a dilated examination of the inside of your eyes and optic nerves; and a visual field test to check for changes in central and side vision.