Glaucoma Awareness Month – Fast Facts

January is National Glaucoma Awareness month; Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world. To help raise awareness and to encourage regular eye examinations, we’ve gathered a host of fast facts about the condition.

• There may be no symptoms to warn you.
• Everyone is at risk from glaucoma.
• Regular routine eye tests will be able to detect glaucoma.
• Risk factors for glaucoma include: high myopia, diabetes, high blood pressure, family history of glaucoma, eye surgery or injury.
• There is no cure for glaucoma (yet).
• Glaucoma is more common in people over the age of 40.
• Blindness from glaucoma is six to eight times more common in black people than white people.
• With regular treatment for glaucoma, vision and driving licenses can be protected.
• The different types of glaucoma are; open-angle, angle-closure, low-tension, secondary glaucoma, developmental glaucoma and juvenile glaucoma.
• There are many treatment options for glaucoma including; eye drops, beta blockers, laser treatments, surgery.

Any damage already done by glaucoma cannot be reversed or repaired, making early diagnosis essential. Regular eye exams where your optometrist can carry out several different tests for glaucoma are essential, especially if you are at high risk. Book your eye exam today!

Find out more information on the symptoms, risk factors and potential treatment options for glaucoma.

Source: medicalnewstoday.com, glaucoma.org, brightfocus.org, rnib.org.uk, senioradvisor.com