Am I At Risk for Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a serious eye condition that can cause vision loss and even total blindness in the advanced stages. Anyone can get glaucoma, but not everyone is at high risk for this condition. Knowing your risk level and what you can do to protect yourself is important.
What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a condition that causes damage to the optic nerve. Left untreated, glaucoma will cause permanent vision loss. There is no cure for glaucoma, but some treatments can slow its progress and help protect eyesight.
Who Is At Risk?
Some people are at high risk of getting glaucoma, either because of their habits and lifestyle choices or because of genetic and health factors. Some people who are at risk of getting glaucoma include:
- People with diabetes
- People with a family history of glaucoma
- People who are older than 60
- People who are African American over age 40
If you’re concerned you may be at high risk of getting glaucoma, speak with your eye doctor. Come in for an eye exam in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area.
What Are the Warning Signs?
Some types of glaucoma have no symptoms at first, so it’s important to see the eye doctor regularly even if you have no symptoms. Your eye doctor may be able to identify it faster than you can. Warning signs of glaucoma include:
- Severe headache
- Blurry vision
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Severe eye pain
- Haloes around lights
Are You At Risk? Talk to Your Eye Doctor
If you’re at high risk for glaucoma, it’s important to see your eye doctor in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area on a regular basis. Make an appointment with Lappen Eye Care to get an eye exam and learn more about how you can protect yourself from vision loss.