As we move into 2018, we take the month of January to spread awareness about a leading cause of blindness in the US – glaucoma. Glaucoma is called the “sneak thief of sight” because early on in the disease’s progression, there are no symptoms. Shockingly, as much as 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases which cause increased pressure to the optic nerve in the eye. When the canal between your cornea and iris is blocked, fluid begins to build up causing pressure in the eye. Because this pressure build-up occurs slowly over time and is initially not felt, the disease can cause irreversible vision loss.
There is no cure for glaucoma, but early detection along with recommended treatment can often prevent further damage. This is why scheduling your eye exams in a timely fashion is so important.
Ophthalmologist Thomas Henderson M.D. explains, “The most important part of that process is early detection and persistent surveillance, so we can treat early and effectively to prevent vision loss, because we can’t get back any eyesight which is needlessly lost by discovery of glaucoma too late.”