As we age, our risk of many diseases and conditions naturally increases. And our eyes are no exception.
By the time we reach the age of sixty-five, nearly one in three Americans will have developed an eye disease that can impair vision. Age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy are the top four leading causes of blindness or low vision reduced vision.
In this article, we will take a deeper look at one of those conditions: glaucoma.
Signs And Symptoms Of Glaucoma
Glaucoma encompasses a range of conditions that cause damage to the optic nerve due to increased pressure of the fluid of the eye. This fluid drains typically where the iris and cornea meet through mesh-like tissue. When the body overproduces fluid or drainage is inhibited, pressure builds up.
The changes in visual acuity caused by glaucoma and other diseases are often invisible at first, meaning proper eye care and regular monitoring are critical to early detection and treatment. The sooner you diagnose a disease, the better you will be able to combat the condition's progression.
Warning Signs And Early Symptoms
The gradual damage to the optic nerve is painless, with vision problems developing very slowly. With little to no symptoms at the onset of the disease, nearly half of the people affected do not know they have glaucoma.
The most common early symptoms of glaucoma include:
- Peripheral blind spots
- Reduced peripheral vision
- Tunnel vision
While early symptoms might only be small blind spots or decreased peripheral vision, inevitably, glaucoma can cause total blindness. It is one of the most common eye diseases among adults. Three million Americans have the disease, and it is the second leading cause of blindness.
More advanced symptoms of glaucoma include:
- Eye pain
- Redness of the eye
- Blurred vision
- Halos around light sources
If you ever start to experience any of these more advanced symptoms, especially if you experienced no moderate symptoms prior, you should seek immediate medical attention.
Factors That Increase Glaucoma Risk
Glaucoma correlates most commonly with increased age, but anyone can develop glaucoma, and there are other factors that can increase an individual's risk of developing the condition.
- Genetics plays a significant role in glaucoma. If you are of African American, Hispanic, or Asian descent or have a family history, specifically first-degree blood relatives with the condition, you are at an increased risk.
- Pre-existing conditions such as blood pressure, diabetes, and sickle cell anemia can significantly increase your risk for glaucoma.
- Injury to the eye, both blunt and penetrating, can put you at greater risk of developing glaucoma later in life.
- Medications, especially steroids, are linked closely with increased glaucoma.
While it can develop at any age, the most common form, primary open-angle glaucoma, is most often seen in individuals 60 years and older.
Prevention And Treatment
The best way to prevent or manage glaucoma is to catch it early. While it is true that progressed glaucoma has distinct and unignorable symptoms, it cannot be stated strongly enough that the onset of glaucoma is characterized by a progression of minor symptoms. Many of these can be easy to miss for individual patients. This is why it is essential to have regular eye exams.
Our eyes will inevitably change over time; one can take several steps to help minimize symptoms and lower their risk of developing eye disease as they age. Our top recommendations for living an eye-healthy lifestyle are:
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a healthy diet. This can also help you manage your high blood pressure and diabetes risks.
- Wear sunglasses and other eye protection regularly to protect your eyes from environmental damage or injury.
- Stay away from smoking and vaping, which can significantly affect eyesight.
- Be aware of any family history of eye disease to stay vigilant about vision changes.
A common myth we hear, or a question that gets brought up regularly, is that surgery can cure glaucoma. While there are undoubtedly surgical solutions for the treatment of open and closed-angle glaucoma, even surgery cannot guarantee glaucoma will not be a problem in the future.
If the disease is caught early enough, symptoms and further damage can be managed with non-operative options for many patients. Eye drops and various oral medications are available that can help eye fluid flow properly and promote good drainage that keeps the pressure at normal levels.
Schedule An Eye Exam Today
Yearly eye exams are the best way to prevent vision loss. Early intervention saves vision.
If you have any of the risk factors listed above, you should have regular exams scheduled more frequently than the general recommendations. Schedule an appointment with Asheville Vision and Wellness today to see what experienced care with the latest technology can do for your vision needs.
For over three decades, we have helped patients throughout western North Carolina with a wide variety of eye care, including comprehensive eye examinations, eyeglasses, contact lenses, and medical eye evaluations. Our optometrists are certified in diagnosing, treating, and managing ocular diseases.