Glaucoma

Calgary Optometry Centre answers common eye care questions:

Glaucoma is the eye disease that is often referred to as the "thief in the night" or the "silent thief of sight" because its effects can develop slowly and subtly without any warning signs. Glaucoma can cause irreversible vision loss before a person is even aware of its existence.

Glaucoma is the second most important cause of permanent blindness in North America. There is currently no cure for glaucoma, but with early detection, measures can be taken to slow down and stop any vision loss.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma occurs when the internal pressure of the eye becomes too high, usually because of a build up of fluid. This causes deterioration in the sensitive nerve fibers at the back of the eye which ultimately results in vision loss.

Glaucoma is not contagious. Using your eyes will not worsen the condition and resting the eyes will not make it better.

Who can get Glaucoma?

The following have been identified as risk factors for development of glaucoma:

People over the age of 40 (risk increases further with age)
Family history of glaucoma
Diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Black and dark skinned races
Previously measured high eye pressure
High nearsightedness

It should be noted that if you have more than one of the risk factors, the probability of developing glaucoma is compounded. For example, a 60-year-old, black individual who is diabetic and has a family history of glaucoma would be at very high risk for glaucoma disease.

Glaucoma Detection and Testing

A comprehensive vision and eye health examination is the only sure way to determine your glaucoma risk. At Calgary Optometry Centre, examinations include a thorough case history and various tests designed to detect glaucoma. With modern technology, glaucoma can be detected years before any permanent vision loss is experienced.

Glaucoma Treatment

Depending at which stage glaucoma is detected, treatment may involve a combination of education, eye drops and eye surgery. All of these treatments focus on decreasing the internal pressure of the eye to reduce pressure on the optic nerve fibers which, in turn, reduces or eliminates vision loss.

The importance of regular vision and eye health examinations cannot be stressed enough. Any vision loss as result of glaucoma is permanent and cannot be restored. If untreated, glaucoma can lead to total blindness. However, it is important to remember that if glaucoma is detected at an early stage, treatment measures can slow down or stop vision loss.

Early detection is the best prevention against vision loss. If you are aware of any risk factors in yourself or your family members, please book an appointment today.