Although it may have felt like a long month for many of us, January has come to an end. Since it is Glaucoma Awareness Month, we wanted to draw attention to this VERY important topic.
There are several myths out there about glaucoma, so we wanted to address the top 4 common misconceptions in this blog post.
1) Glaucoma only happens when you are older – FALSE. This is a common misconception. Glaucoma can happen in childhood and develop throughout someone’s life way before they are considered elderly.
2) There is no treatment for Glaucoma – FALSE. There are many ‘treatments’. We have medical, laser, and surgical treatment options. Among surgical treatment options, MIGS (Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery) has revolutionized glaucoma care and provided lower risk surgical treatment options compared to traditional filtering surgeries. The goal of treatment is to STOP progression of glaucoma. This leads us to our next misconception:
3) Glaucoma damage can be reversed, and surgery is the cure – FALSE. Glaucoma damage is not reversible. It is commonly known as the “silent thief of sight”, because it is often asymptomatic and can worsen without signs. Due to this scary truth, it is ESSENTIAL to have your annual eye exams to screen for glaucoma! Yes, there are several treatment options for glaucoma. However, once the damage to the optic nerve is done, it cannot be undone – so get your annual eye exams. Glaucoma also has a hereditary component, so if your family members have glaucoma, it is essential for you to obtain routine screening.
4) Glaucoma is the same as a cataract – FALSE. These two diagnoses are VERY different. Cataracts are the clouding of our natural lenses, which can be fixed with surgery, and vision can be restored). However, glaucoma is NOT reversible damage to the optic nerve which leads to vision loss that cannot be reversed. Glaucoma damage can be prevented with appropriate follow up and treatment.
As glaucoma is the “silent thief of sight”, please remember that you cannot restore vision that has been lost from glaucoma, so GET SCREENED. Call us today to schedule your screening with one of our eye care specialists at Slade & Baker Vision at 713-626-5544 or shoot us an appointment request at info@visiontexas.com!
