January is Glaucoma Awareness Month

Sight is a precious thing. January has been designated as Glaucoma Awareness Month for this very fact — Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness in the United States. US Family Health Plan would like for you to take advantage of this month by taking time to learn about the signs, symptoms, and risk factors associated with the group of diseases known as glaucoma.

Put simply, glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the eye's optic nerve. This can lead to loss of vision or blindness. Once a person loses his or her sight due to glaucoma, there is no way of getting it back. With early detection and treatment, however, a person can protect him or herself from serious vision loss. Although glaucoma can affect people of all ages, the most common forms primarily affect middle-aged and the elderly. Some people face an increased risk of glaucoma. They include:

• African Americans over the age of 40.
• People over age 60, especially Hispanics.
• Persons with diabetes.
• People with a family history of glaucoma

There are two major categories of glaucoma:

• Open-angle. Vision loss is slow and progressive over a long period of time. Usually, because the loss is so gradual, a person will not notice his or her sight worsening. When they finally do notice, the disease is in the advanced stages, leaving little chance for full recovery.
• Closed angle. This condition can appear suddenly and is usually painful. Vision loss can progress quickly. Since the condition is painful, people often seek treatment early, preventing major vision loss.

The signs and symptoms for these two types of glaucoma are different. Open-angle glaucoma has virtually no symptoms, making regular screening very important.

Primary open-angle glaucoma signs/symptoms:

• No symptoms at first
• Sufferers may notice a gradual loss of vision, usually in both eyes
• At very advanced stages, tunnel vision may occur

• Severe pain in the eyes
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Sudden onset of vision problems
• Blurry vision
• Halos around lights
• Reddening of the eyes
  
  Both lists were adapted from the Mayo Clinic and Web MD.

Early detection and treatment is key for preventing vision loss! Glaucoma can be detected with a comprehensive dilated eye examination. Make sure to have your eyes checked through dilated pupils every two years by an eye care professional. If you fall into any of the abovementioned high-risk groups, speak to your health care provider about a recommended screening schedule.

Resources:
Medline Plus
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Glaucoma Research Foundation