January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

It's a new year and what better resolution than leading a healthier lifestyle in 2014. One item on everyone's list this year seems to be heading back to the gym - to improve their fitness level, or just eating healthier overall for a better quality of life, but many don’t think about their eye health when making their new year’s resolutions

January has been named National Glaucoma Awareness month by Prevent Blindness America to help promote the importance of regular annual eye exams.  Today close to three million people actually have Glaucoma, but some of them do not even realize it because there are often no warning symptoms.  Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States of America and the first major leading cause of preventable blindness. Approximately 120,000 Americans are mostly blind because they suffer from Glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness in the United States of America. The condition is also 6 to 8 times more common to be found in African-Americans than in Caucasians. 

Glaucoma is an eye disease which damages the optic nerve (the pathway for vision between the brain and eye) in the back of the eye most often when eye pressure is elevated in an individual’s eye for an extended period of time.  This process can often decrease peripheral vision without symptoms, thus earning it the moniker of “the silent thief of sight”.  As such, annual eye exams are the number one deterrent from individuals suffering vision loss caused by Glaucoma and other preventable eye diseases. This is because even in a routine eye examination, your eye doctor can detect signs and/or risk factors of Glaucoma. 

Many patients are familiar with the dreaded “air-puff test” which is one method of measuring eye pressure, but there are also other methods – such as the Icare Tonometer which measures intraocular pressure (IOP) with no drops or puff of air required for a more comfortable and accurate assessment.  If Glaucoma is detected early enough, there are many steps that can be taken in order to maintain the amount of healthy vision one currently has through topical (eye drops), laser, or even surgical treatments.

Though it may be down your resolution list a bit, making it a point to see your eye doctor for regularly scheduled eye exams is a must in order to keep seeing your best in 2014. It does not matter whether you wear corrective lenses or not, or even if you think your eyes are in perfect condition. Getting a regular eye exam is a necessary part of your overall healthcare regimen, and vital to make sure you are able to continue maintaining healthy vision. So make sure you make an annual eye exam a part of your healthier lifestyle in 2013 and keep seeing your best all year round.