Question 1

What exactly is glaucoma?

Accepted Answer

Glaucoma is a condition in which the eye's intraocular pressure (IOP) is too high. This means that your eye has too much aqueous humor in it, either because it produced too much, or because it's not draining properly. Other symptoms are optic nerve damage and vision loss. Glaucoma is a silent disease that robs the patient of their peripheral vision. Early detection is very important.

Question 2

How do I tell that I am developing glaucoma?

Accepted Answer

The real tragedy behind vision-stealing glaucoma is that most people afflicted with this eye disease do not even realize they have it. As a result, the condition goes undiagnosed and untreated, which too often leads to unnecessary blindness. Of the 2.7 million people in the United States with glaucoma, half are undiagnosed. Most are lulled into a false sense of confidence because glaucoma often displays no symptoms in its early stages. By the time it begins to affect vision, any lost sight is impossible to regain. The risk of developing glaucoma begins to increase dramatically at midlife, which is why everyone should have a baseline exam by age 40. The most important concern is protecting your sight. Doctors look at many factors before making decisions about your treatment. If your condition is particularly difficult to diagnose or treat, you may be referred to a glaucoma specialist. While glaucoma is most common in middle-aged individuals, the disease can strike at any age, with those having a family history of the disease is especially vulnerable.

Question 3

If one of my parents has glaucoma, does that mean I will develop it as well at some point?

Accepted Answer

Having a parent with glaucoma does not mean that the child will automatically develop the condition too. However, those people with an immediate family history (parents, siblings) of glaucoma are at more risk to develop this disease. Patients should have a comprehensive eye examination each year to evaluate the health of the eyes and to look for signs of glaucoma. Some of these signs can be an increase in the pressure of the eyes as well as changes to the appearance of the optic nerve. Many times there are no symptoms noticed by the patient. If there is suspicion of glaucoma, more frequent visits to the eye doctor along with additional nerve testing are often required.

Question 4

How often should I have my glasses prescription checked?

Accepted Answer

The American Optometric Association recommends yearly eye-health examinations. As part of a comprehensive eye exam, your optometrist will not only check your glasses prescription for changes but he/she will also evaluate your eye health. Every patient needs to be regularly monitored for glaucoma and other diseases. For adults, it’s important to monitor for cataracts and macular degeneration. And certain medical conditions, like diabetes, require yearly eye-health exams as well to monitor the potential side-effects they can have on the eyes. For children, visual dysfunction conditions like “lazy eye” and “crossed eyes,” can be missed with school vision screenings alone. A regular complete eye examination is an integral part of routine health care.

Blackfoot Glaucoma

Dennis N. Marshall, OD