January is Glaucoma Awareness Month!

What you need to know about Glaucoma!

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is one of the more common known age related eye diseases, though only half of the population with it know they have it. Glaucoma damages the optic nerve and that nerve is responsible for how images are relayed to your brain. It is painless and slow growing and usually starts to affect your peripheral vision first. Of the different variations of the disease, Open-Angle Glaucoma is the most common (about 90% of all cases)*.

How do I know if I have Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world. Being that there are almost no symptoms, Glaucoma is considered the “silent stealer of sight”. If sight is lost because of Glaucoma, it cannot be restored or corrected, which is why a comprehensive eye exam is crucial. Early detection can slow the progress of the disease – there are medications and surgery options available.

There is an increase in risk if you are African-American, Asian or Hispanic. Those risks compound over the age of 60 and if you are diabetic. At least 50% of Glaucoma is hereditary*.

Make an appointment with one of our extraordinary doctors here at Oregon Eye Consults for your eye exam. They will run a series of tests that specifically can diagnose Glaucoma. They will measure your internal eye pressure, a dilated eye exam, a field of vision exam, measure the thickness of your cornea and check the angle of your cornea where it meets the iris. These are all common testing to see if your vision is being affected by Glaucoma.

How do I schedule an appointment?

Log into your Patient Portal on our website or call 541-687-1927 to speak to one of our friendly and helpful Patient Representatives!

https://oregoneyeconsultants.com/

I have Glaucoma! What happens next?

Once you have had a comprehensive eye exam with one of our highly-skilled ophthalmologists and it is determined that you have Glaucoma, treatment options will be presented to you after accessing all of your risk factors. There are medications available to slow down the disease, and surgical options as well. You and your Doctor will create a plan of care that works the best for your individual situation.

What can I do to help spread awareness about Glaucoma?

Share this blog! Sharing information with your friends and family, especially people that you feel may fall into a risk category is important. Since this disease is also hereditary, it is important to encourage family members to get their routine eye examinations (each year for ages over 65). There is a lot of helpful information online. One site we recommend and often use as a source of information for blogs is https://www.glaucoma.org/.

 

*source: https://www.glaucoma.org/glaucoma/types-of-glaucoma.php