January is considered as Glaucoma Awareness Month and the eye care professionals at Eyes On Norbeck understand that people need to know about this serious condition so they are more equipped at finding the right treatment and solutions for this problem. In this article, a leading optometrist shares some of your most commonly asked questions about the disease and reveals the truth behind them.
1. What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of complex eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, which is the nerve that connects the eye to the brain. This damage is often caused by high pressure in the eye. Glaucoma is known to be one of the leading causes of blindness for people aged 60 and older.
2. What Are the Risk Factors for Glaucoma?
Several research studies have determined that groups at higher risk for developing glaucoma are those aged 40 or older and the general Hispanic and African American population. If you have a family history of glaucoma, trauma to the eye, poor vision that prompts you to wear eyeglasses or are taking certain medications, you may also be at increased risk of glaucoma.
3. Is Glaucoma Preventable?
Blindness due to glaucoma is generally preventable through early detection. Unfortunately, glaucoma can remain undetected since it may show little to no symptoms. This is why it is important to consult eye specialists and take regular eye exams to determine so that diseases can be diagnosed and treated early. Your eye doctor must directly examine your optic nerve and peripheral vision in order to properly start the treatment.
Eyes On Norbeck is a team of dedicated eye care professionals specializing in eye care services such as computer vision exam, LASIK evaluation and red/pink eye treatment. We are committed to providing top-rated products and solutions to increase the visual comfort of our patients in and around Rockville, MD. Call us today at (301) 238-7199 or fill out our contact form to set up an appointment.