Glaucoma Screening: Do you need it? | National Glaucoma Awareness Month

Glaucoma involves a group of eye diseases that can steal your sight. You may not even know you have glaucoma until you start to have vision problems. That is because, glaucoma does not usually cause symptoms until it is in an advanced stage. But screening for glaucoma is helpful to detect the condition early.

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month. It is the perfect time to learn more about glaucoma screening including who needs it and why. 
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What is glaucoma? 

Glaucoma is an eye condition that affects the optic nerve in the back of the eye. It can develop when the eye pressure becomes too high due to increased fluid. The fluid may not drain properly, pressure increases, and the optic nerve can become damaged.

As the optic nerve becomes damaged, vision loss may develop. As the condition worsens, people may slowly lose their side vision. Since it often develops gradually, many people do not realize their vision is changing. 

According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, in the United States, about 3 million people have glaucoma. About 50 percent of those people do not know they have the condition. 
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What is glaucoma screening? 

Glaucoma screening involves tests conducted by an eye doctor. The series of tests measures eye pressure, checks the drainage angle of your eye, and looks for signs of optic nerve damage.  The tests also assess areas of vision loss.

Keep in mind, if you have elevated eye pressure alone, it does not mean you have glaucoma. And you can also develop glaucoma with normal eye pressure. Glaucoma screening is vital to assess your risks. 
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Who needs glaucoma screening? 

Anyone can develop glaucoma so a comprehensive eye exam is essential for everyone. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that by age 40 everyone have a comprehensive eye exam. If you have risk factors for eye diseases, you need an exam soon.

When it comes to glaucoma screening, you may also need an exam sooner.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, certain factors increase your risk of developing glaucoma. Risk factors include:

• Being over age 40
• Having a family history of glaucoma
• Having high blood pressure or diabetes
• Prolonged corticosteroid use for medical conditions 

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Why is glaucoma screening vital? 

Glaucoma often does not have symptoms at first. The progression is often silent. This makes the disease difficult to spot on your own. By the time you notice symptoms, it may already have caused significant damage to the optic nerve.

Early detection of glaucoma is vital to help preserve your vision. Currently, the damage from glaucoma is irreversible. Regular glaucoma screenings can detect the disease in its early stage. Early diagnosis allows interventions that may decrease the risk of significant vision loss.

Glaucoma screening is especially important for people that are at high risk for the disease. Remember, glaucoma screening is a great way to be proactive about your eye health and protect your vision. 
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Is glaucoma treatable? 

There is treatment for glaucoma. The treatment does not reverse the damage to your vision, but it can stop it from getting worse and save the vision you have. Treatment may include medications and laser surgery.  The sooner treatment starts, the better.

If you have questions about glaucoma or would like a glaucoma screening, we are happy to help. If you would like an appointment with one of our eye doctors, call our office at 508-746-8600.