Glaucoma is a disease that can cause vision to be permanently
lost very slowly over time. The disease starts by enlarging an
individual’s “blind spot,” then may progress leading to complete
blindness. Glaucoma is sometimes referred to as “the silent
thief of sight” because a typical person would have absolutely
no symptoms in the early stages of the disease, and would only
notice after it was too late and the damage was done. The
disease essentially attacks the optic nerve in the back of the
eye. Typically high pressure inside of the eye - the Intra
Ocular Pressure, or IOP - causes this damage. The number one
risk factor for glaucoma is a family history of the disease, but
glaucoma may affect anyone. As with most diseases of the body,
the earlier the findings are caught, the more we are able to do.
With modern medicine, it is rare that any new case of early
glaucoma caught progresses past the “early” stage. How Do I Know
if I am at Risk or Have Glaucoma? Annual eye exams. Many eye
doctors today are equipped w