Center for Sight
Comprehensive Eye Care Center
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness for patients between the ages of 18-65 years of age. It is estimated that approximately 3 million people have Glaucoma and only half actually know it! Glaucoma is such a significant threat to sight because whereas most serious eye diseases or eye conditions produce some symptoms that make patients uncomfortable or disturb their vision-glaucoma begins without any symptoms or obvious loss of vision! Glaucoma is quite insidious and, if not diagnosed and treated early in its course, will lead to progressive and permanent vision loss. This is what makes glaucoma such a dangerous disease. Many patients are under the impression that glaucoma is just due to a high pressure within the eye. While a high intraocular pressure (IOP) certainly can be one cause of glaucoma, and in fact is the most common cause, a high IOP is not the only cause of glaucoma. It is entirely possible to have a higher than normal Intraocular Pressure (IOP) and vision loss and simply not know it. Fortunately, glaucoma is treatable, and in many cases patients retain excellent vision throughout their lives.
At Center for Sight, we recommend that all patients over 50 years of age who have no previous family history of Glaucoma or other general health conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure, be evaluated for Glaucoma every two years. If there is any family history of Glaucoma at all, or there any other general health problems, we recommend patients be evaluated for Glaucoma every year beginning at age 40.
In addition, we now also know that there is considerable risk for siblings of those who have Glaucoma. In the Nottingham Glaucoma Study, it was found that the siblings of Glaucoma patients are 5 times the risk for developing Glaucoma by the age of 70 and therefore should be examined every year.
Everyone is at risk for Glaucoma, however there are many factors that can predispose you to developing Glaucoma including:
Glaucoma is a very complex eye disease, and not simply an elevated Intraocular Pressure (IOP). Nonetheless, when detected early it can be successfully treated. Center for Sight and its staff provide the full scope of advanced technology diagnostic testing and treatment, as well as taking the time necessary to give each patient the personal education needed to fully understand their condition and get the best possible outcomes for their patients.