What is Glaucoma?

What is

Glaucoma?

By Dr. Ryan Robison

We often see patients who haven’t had their eyes checked in several years. They think there is no reason to be checked sooner because they don’t think they have any problems. However, from time to time, some of these patients do have something going on with their eyes of which they are unaware. This is often the case with a disease like glaucoma.

Glaucoma is when the pressure in the eye is causing stress to the optic nerve. This stress causes a subtle, progressive, and irreversible loss of vision. It is the second leading cause of blindness in the world and affects over three million Americans, but only half of those affected know they have it. There are typically no symptoms for glaucoma because there is no pain associated with it. It’s very rare to be able to feel the pressure building up inside the eye. It develops slowly and sometimes without any noticeable vision loss for many years until the damage is already done.

Glaucoma cannot be prevented. If diagnosed and treated early, it can usually be well controlled, and any major loss of vision can be avoided. Risk factors for glaucoma include family history, age (over sixty years of age), race (African-American, Asian, and Hispanic), head or eye trauma, and prolonged use of steroid medications in any form.

Treatments focus on lowering eye pressure through the use of eye drops, surgery, or both. Individual responses to the various drops and different surgery options vary, and finding the right combination can be difficult. Sometimes, effective treatments need to be modified because the eye no longer responds to the medication or surgery like it once did. Because of these intricacies, close monitoring is critical and may require frequent office visits.

The incidences of glaucoma are rising with the aging of the baby boomers and increasing longevity. Seeing your eye doctor regularly is your best defense.

Call 435-673-5577 to schedule your appointment today, or go to www.SouthWestVision.com.

About the Author Dr. Robison is a native of St. George, Utah. He is a graduate of Dixie High School, Dixie State University, Brigham Young University, and Pacific University College of Optometry. He has memberships in the BYU Management Society, American Optometric Association, and the Utah Optometric Association. He has served on the Board of Directors for the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce and SouthWest Federal Credit Union. He has served as President of the St. George Exchange Club. He and his wife, Josie, are the proud parents of four beautiful children.