Eying A Bright Future
January 29, 2024 | Health & Wellness, Resources
January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, a timely reminder of how important maintaining healthy eyesight is as we age. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness. About 3 million people in the United States have it—but about half of those with this chronic, progressive disease don’t even know they have it! Anyone can get glaucoma, with seniors over 60 particularly at risk.
Glaucoma Cause and Symptoms
Simply put, glaucoma happens when pressure in the eye damages the optic nerve; usually, fluid buildup is the reason. The optic nerve consists of more than a million tiny nerve fibers which transmit visual information to the brain. Pressure can cause these tiny fibers to die and blind spots to eventually develop.
Because the fibers die individually, problems with eyesight may not be immediately identified. In fact, glaucoma has no early symptoms like pain, discomfort, or blurry vision. Half of those with diagnosed glaucoma have no symptoms at all and elderly individuals often attribute loss of vision to aging.
Glaucoma Types
There are three types of glaucoma adults and seniors should be most concerned about: open-angle, normal tension, and angle-closure.
Nine in 10 people have open-angle glaucoma, the most common type. Although the cause for open-angle isn’t known, the most likely reason is due to excess fluid pressure which cannot be drained quickly enough. People with high blood pressure or diabetes are at higher risk for this type of glaucoma; open-angle is responsible for about 20% of blindness in African Americans. Treatment options include medicines and laser or traditional surgery.
Normal tension glaucoma (NTG) is a form of open-angle glaucoma but there is no fluid buildup and pressure. People who are of Japanese ancestry, or who have heart problems like an irregular heartbeat or low blood pressure, or a family history of the disease are at higher risk. Originally thought to be rare, NTG accounts for nearly one-third of glaucoma cases, according to recent research . As with open-angle glaucoma, NTG can be treated with medicines and laser and traditional surgery.
Angle-closure glaucoma can be a medical emergency which causes blindness in just a few days. In this type, the outer edge of the iris blocks fluid from draining out of the front of the eye and may cause the following symptoms:
- Intense eye pain
- Upset stomach (nausea)
- Red eye
- Blurry vision
Laser treatment and medicine can assist with fluid drain, lowering eye pressure and protecting vision. Angle-closure glaucoma can also be less dramatic and slower or chronic – and without symptoms.
Protecting Eye Health
Since glaucoma is a silent sight thief, the most important thing to do is to get a comprehensive eye exam; that’s the only way to detect glaucoma. During the exam, an eye care professional will dilate your eyes, widening the pupils. They can then look at the optic nerve for signs of the disease. This exam should happen every one to two years.
Glaucoma is a chronic condition, and while its progression can be slowed or halted with appropriate treatment, any vision loss that occurs is generally irreversible. So, if you want to see a brighter future, early diagnosis and ongoing management are key.
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Sources: National Eye Institute; American Academy of Ophthalmology; Glaucoma Research Foundation
