Early Detection, Eye Medications and Surgery Vital to Successful Treatment of Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye disease, most commonly occurring in adults over the age of 40, in which the fluid of the eye does not drain as it properly should. This causes the pressure inside the eye to increase, which can damage the optic nerve and lead to vision loss. Most people who develop glaucoma notice no symptoms until their vision is impaired. The surgeons of Missouri Eye Institute emphasize that, because of the lack of noticeable warning symptoms, regular eye examinations and glaucoma-screening programs are vital to the successful treatment of glaucoma.

Glaucoma is usually controlled with eye drops taken daily to lower eye pressure, but also can be treated by laser surgery or a combination of treatments. While progressive vision loss can often be prevented, damage to the eye caused by glaucoma is irreversible.

General guidelines for having glaucoma checks by your eye doctor are as follows:

• After age 40 years, every 2 to 4 years
• After age 60 years, every 1 to 2 years
• Those with any high risk factor (such as advanced age, a family history, or African or Spanish ancestry) should be examined every 1 to 2 years after age 35

For more information about your risks for or symptoms of glaucoma, talk to your eye care doctor or review information available from the Glaucoma Research Foundation.