3. What is Glaucoma?
Group of eye diseases that cause damage to the optic
nerve
Primary open-angle – most common, develops slowly
and painlessly
Acute angle-closure – sudden blockage of drainage
channels, is an emergency
4. Why should I know about Glaucoma?
More than 3 million Americans have glaucoma
Nearly half don’t know they have it
Vision loss often occurs before individuals are even
diagnosed
Loss of vision is permanent -- it cannot be reversed
5. How does Glaucoma damage my eyes?
Optic nerve carries visual information from the eye to the
brain
Optic nerve cells degenerate and die slowly
As nerve cells die, vision is slowly lost
Vision loss begins in the peripheral, or side vision
Vision loss is not recognized until significant amount
of nerve damage occurs!
That’s why glaucoma is know as the “sneak thief of
sight.”
6. In a healthy eye/optic nerve…
Acqueous Humor
• Clear fluid inside of the eye
• Continuously produced and
drained out of the eye
• If production increases, or
draining decreases, glaucoma
develops due to increased
pressure
8. In an eye with glaucoma…
• Fluid drains too slowly as it
exits eye
• This causes pressure inside
the eye to rise
• Higher pressure leads to
deterioration of optic nerve
fibers
• Result is loss of vision
10. What are the symptoms?
No pain or symptoms are
present in early stages
Loss of peripheral vision
typically is first indication
11. Am I at risk?
You are at HIGH RISK
for glaucoma IF you are:
African American over age 40
Over age 60
Have a family history of
glaucoma
12. How is it detected?
Tonometry – measurement of pressure in the eye
Ophthalmoscopy – examination of back of the eye
to look at health and appearance of optic nerve
Pachymetry – measurement of thickness of cornea
Visual field test – measurement of peripheral
vision
Laser imaging – OCT or GDX
13. What precautions can I take?
Yearly (or more frequently
if you’re at high risk)
comprehensive eye exams
are your best defense
against eye disease
Though not a cure, early
detection and treatment
of glaucoma can slow its
progression
15. Does insurance cover examinations?
Most major medical insurance policies, including
Medicare, cover annual dilated eye exams for
patients at-risk for glaucoma
Yearly exams assist in early detection and treatment
of glaucoma
16. For more information on Glaucoma and
other eye diseases, please visit:
www.aoa.org/patients-and-public
17. REMEMBER:
Yearly, comprehensive eye exams are your best
defense against eye disease and vision loss.
Schedule an appointment with your optometrist if
you haven’t had an eye exam in over a year.
