Don’t forget your eyes

Kathryn Hawley

“The sneak thief of sight” is associated with “open angle” Glaucoma as it does not have symptoms and once vision is lost, it is permanent. Open angle Glaucoma is the most common form. According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness and 40% of vision can be lost over time without a person noticing. This eye disease is caused by damage to the optic nerve which allows images to be carried from the eye to the brain. Currently, there is no cure, however medication or surgery can slow or sometimes even prevent vision loss. This is all dependent upon the type of glaucoma along with other factors of your particular case. See https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/basics/ced/index.html for common eye disorders. Within the Glaucoma sections there is a demonstration linked to the National eye Institute with visuals to help understand Glaucoma and facts about Glaucoma. https://nei.nih.gov/health/glaucoma/glaucoma_facts. Glaucoma is detected through a dilated eye exam that includes visual field (side vision) and acuity test (how well you see at various distances), dilated eye exam (drops placed to widen or dilate the pupils), tonometery (measures pressure inside the eye) and pachymetry (measurement of the thickness of your cornea). This is an excellent source for facts about Glaucoma and remember as you move into this New Year – don’t forget your eyes!

Kathryn Hawley, RN & Health Educator, Nodaway County Health Dept.