Glaucoma Awareness

Person getting glaucoma screening.

A Regular Eye Screening Could Prevent Vision Loss due to Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. If caught early, glaucoma can be treated with medicated eye drops or laser treatments, but once vision is lost, it cannot be regained. That’s why Oregon Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Ophthalmology is urging people to get regular eye screenings to protect their vision.

Glaucoma is a group of diseases that damages the eye’s optic nerve. The optic nerve transmits visual information to the brain, allowing us to see. Because glaucoma often progresses slowly, affecting just peripheral or side vision, people with glaucoma can suffer significant vision loss before they notice a problem or a change in their vision. Central vision, the vision used to read, drive, or watch TV, is usually unaffected until the disease is advanced.

“It may seem harmless to skip a routine eye exam if you don’t notice any vision changes, but glaucoma, as well as some other eye conditions, can cause vision loss without any warning signs,” said Dianna Seldomridge, MD, clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “Even though ophthalmologists have several effective treatment options, the best protection against vision loss from glaucoma is an early diagnosis.”

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends all healthy adults get a comprehensive eye exam by age 40 to screen for blinding eye diseases. If eye disease runs in your family, you should see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible if you haven’t already.

Some people have a higher than normal risk of getting glaucoma. This includes people who:

  • have high eye pressure
  • are farsighted or nearsighted
  • have had an eye injury
  • use long-term steroid medications
  • have corneas that are thin in the center
  • have thinning of the optic nerve
  • have diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure, poor blood circulation or other health problems affecting the whole body
  • are over age 40
  • have family members with glaucoma
  • are of African, Hispanic, or Asian heritage

For more information about eye health and how to protect your eyes, visit the Academy’s EyeSmart website.