Don't Lose Sight of Glaucoma Risk Factors

Baseball legend Willie Mays recently noted, "The longer you can keep your vision, the longer you're going to have a good life." Most people consider their eyesight a precious gift. The irony is that many Americans lose their eyesight when it could have been prevented.

It is time to raise awareness among the general public as well as at-risk groups to remind them of the need for regular, comprehensive eye exams to detect eye health problems.

Dan Good, M.D., a physician at Texas Tech Physicians Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, said by the time a person notices vision loss from glaucoma, the disease is at an advanced stage.

"It is important to understand a person can have early or moderate glaucoma even if they do not notice any change in vision," Good said.

Glaucoma is the build up of pressure in the eye caused by excessive fluid when the eye's natural drainage system is not working properly. The pressure can damage the optic nerve, the part of the eye that carries information to the brain, leading to vision loss or permanent blindness.

What does it look like?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkjk37pbiV4list=PL9CA85C7193F05F9Efeature=plcp

Am I at risk?

The National Eye Institute recommends a routine eye exam every two to four years after age 40 and every one to two years after age 65. People at risk include:

• African Americans over age 40
• People over age 60, especially Mexican Americans
• People with a family history of glaucoma

"At first, there are no symptoms," Good said. "If you have glaucoma, you may notice your side vision gradually failing. Objects in front may still be seen clearly, but objects to the side may be missed."

If untreated, people with glaucoma will slowly lose their peripheral or side vision.

"It will appear as if you are looking through a tunnel," Good said. "With time, your normal vision also may decrease and ultimately all vision is lost."

Good said the best way to detect glaucoma is to have a complete eye exam by an ophthalmologist, a medically trained eye doctor.

"Don't wait until you notice vision loss," Good said. "Avoid blindness sneaking up on you; take steps now to save your vision so you can have a long, good life."