Glaucoma Week

Glaucoma – the silent loss of vision.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. Blindness or substantial vision loss can be prevented with early diagnoses and management of the disease from the early stages onward.

Glaucoma is a term for a group of eye conditions in which the main nerve to the eye is damaged. In most cases it is associated with higher-than-normal pressure (IOP) in the eye called ocular hypertension.

The most prevalent form of glaucoma is called open angle glaucoma. The vision loss is silent slow and progressive. It initially causes peripheral or side vision loss and can progress to central vision loss if left untreated.

The main problem with the disease is that it has few or no early symptoms and about half of the patients don’t know they have it. People most at risk are middle aged people 40 years of age, diabetics and hypertensive patients as well as people with a family history of the disease.

Regular eye examinations are crucial to discover the disease.

Here at Mastromatteo optometrists we have the tools and knowledge to pick up any Glaucoma signs with Intra-ocular pressure measurement instruments, Fundus photography and grading with the latest Artificial intelligence software. If the need be, you can be referred to an Ophthalmologist for further tests and treatment.