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.
