January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. These are the symptoms of glaucoma and how it can affect your vision:
n Glaucoma causes fluid build-up in your eye. The build-up of fluid causes pressure that can damage the optic nerve, which transfers visual images to your brain.
n Glaucoma can cause vision loss and blindness and cannot be reversed.
n Glaucoma often has no early warning signs. There is no pain, discomfort, or blurry vision.
Nearly 3,000,000 Americans have glaucoma. Half of those with glaucoma don‘t know that they have the disease. This lack of awareness and the absence of symptoms prevents people from getting their eyes examined.
African-Americans over 40, adults over 60, and people with a family history of glaucoma are at greater risk for developing the disease.
Getting a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the only way to find out if you have glaucoma.
During the exam, an eye care professional places drops in your eyes to widen the pupils and looks for signs of the disease in the optic nerve.
Your vision can be saved with early detection and treatment. Talk to your doctor about scheduling a comprehensive dilated eye exam. You can also encourage your friends and loved ones to do the same.
To learn more about glaucoma, go to www.nei.nih.gov/glaucoma.
