News
Glaucoma Awareness: More than Half of Sufferers Don’t Know It
I
t may be easy to see that beauty is deeply rooted in your
family tree. But some things that are passed down from
generation to generation are not as easily seen—like
glaucoma, an eye disease that runs in families and often has
no warning signs.
Glaucoma is a group of diseases that damages the eye’s
optic nerve, which carries visual signals to the brain. It can
lead to vision loss or blindness if left untreated. Primary
open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of this dis-
ease. Quite often, by the time people are diagnosed with
glaucoma they have already begun to notice changes in
their side, or peripheral, vision. It’s important not to wait
until you notice vision problems to see your eye care pro-
fessional.
“Studies show that at least half of all persons with glau-
coma don’t know they have this potentially blinding eye
disease,” said National Eye Institute (NEI) director Dr. Paul
Page 6 The Portland Skanner January 8, 2014
Sieving. “The good news is that glaucoma can be detected
in its early stages through a comprehensive dilated eye
exam.”
People with a family history of glaucoma and everybody
at higher risk—especially African Americans age 40 and
older—should get a comprehensive dilated eye exam every
1 to 2 years.
A comprehensive dilated eye exam is a procedure in
which an eye care professional places drops in your eyes to
dilate (or widen) the pupil to examine the back of your eyes
and your optic nerve for signs of disease. This exam may
help save your sight because when glaucoma is detected
early, it can be controlled through medications or surgery.
Keep the vision of your beautiful family in your future. To
learn more about glaucoma, visit www.nei.nih.gov/glauco-
ma or call NEI at 301–496–5248. A low-cost exam may be
available to you through Medicare. For more information,
call 1–800–MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov.