January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of permanent blindness, affecting more than twelve million people worldwide. As the optic nerve is progressively damaged by this disease, peripheral vision diminishes and, if glaucoma spreads untreated, vision is lost entirely. Glaucoma has few symptoms and takes over the eye very slowly. Thankfully, with proper preventative vision eye care, blindness can almost always be prevented, and there are more options today to slow the progression of the disease.

“We can now treat patients with glaucoma several different ways and though vision cannot be restored, further vision loss can be delayed in a number of ways,” said Dr. Steve Mattas, ophthalmologist with Bennett & Bloom Eye Centers.

Glaucoma symptoms vary, but can include peripheral vision loss, sudden blurring of vision, and eye pain. In most cases, however, glaucoma displays no noticeable symptoms before it takes away the vision of its victim. Three treatments are currently available for glaucoma: Medications (eye drops and, less commonly, oral medications), laser therapy, and surgery.

“The most important thing that anyone can do in the risk group is have a dilated eye exam and a glaucoma screening every year. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” said Dr. Mattas.