Glaucoma Treatment From Redding Eyecare Center
Glaucoma is sometimes known as a silent thief: it can steal your eyesight before you even notice any symptoms. By the time any signs of the disease appear, irreversible damage will have been done. Glaucoma is the main cause of blindness for people over 60, but it can happen to anyone, from infants to seniors. Because glaucoma damage can’t be repaired, it’s important for you to have your eyes examined regularly to catch it in the early stages. If our optometrists at Redding Eyecare Center diagnose your glaucoma in the early stages, it can often be treated before you suffer any loss of sight.
Optometrist performing visual field test
Glaucoma Causes
Glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve. This damage is related to increased fluid pressure inside the eyeball. Normally, fluid flows into and out of your eyes, much like water flows into and out of a pool filter. When your eye makes too much fluid or the drainage is blocked, the pressure inside your eye can build up. Eye pressure increases, eventually doing damage to the optic nerve.
Types of Glaucoma
There are two major types of glaucoma: open-angle and angle-closure. Open-angle is the most common form of glaucoma. In this form, the drainage is partially blocked, gradually increasing the internal eye pressure. This happens so slowly that your eyesight can be permanently damaged before you even notice any symptoms.
With angle-closure (or closed-angle) glaucoma, the iris begins to bulge forward, blocking the drainage angle. This can happen gradually or suddenly, but it’s always a medical emergency.
Who Gets Glaucoma?
There is no certain way to predict whether you’ll develop glaucoma during your lifetime. There are risk factors, though, giving some people a higher chance of it happening than others. Some of these risk factors are:
- High general internal eye pressure
- A person of color
- Over 60 years of age
- Some medical conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes
- Very thin corneas
- Glaucoma in the family history
How to Prevent Glaucoma from Developing
There is no completely certain method for preventing glaucoma, but by making certain lifestyle changes, you can lower your chances significantly. Most importantly, have your eyes examined on a regular basis. Don’t smoke, and stop smoking if you do. Be aware of your family glaucoma history. If you’ve been diagnosed with early glaucoma, use your eyedrops exactly how the doctor prescribes them.
Contact Our Optometry Office
Regular dilated eye examinations are the key to keeping your eyesight safe from glaucoma. If you haven’t had your eyes examined in at least a year, call our office for an appointment. Contact our Redding office at (530) 222-1233 to schedule an appointment.