More than 4 million Americans have glaucoma, a leading cause of vision loss worldwide. The good news: Caught early, glaucoma can be treated. The bad news: Early signs are so subtle, roughly half of the people who have glaucoma don’t even know it — yet.
At Long Island Ophthalmic Concepts, our team specializes in diagnosing glaucoma early, helping patients get the treatment they need to protect their vision. Here, learn about the basics of glaucoma and why early detection is so important for your sight.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve located at the very back of your eye. This nerve transmits visual information from what you’re seeing to your brain, where that information is translated into the images we recognize.
Glaucoma usually happens when pressure inside your eye increases, squeezing the delicate nerve and damaging it. Typically, that increase in pressure occurs when inadequate drainage causes fluid to build up inside your eye, raising internal pressure. That said, some types of glaucoma can happen even when intraocular pressure is normal.
Anyone can develop glaucoma, but some factors increase your risk, including:
Some people also have anatomical differences that interfere with normal eye drainage.
Sometimes, a vision problem is easy to spot: maybe your vision becomes blurry, you have double vision, or you experience other unmistakable changes in your vision or eye health. When you notice these symptoms, you recognize them as a sign to schedule an exam and evaluation.
The problem with glaucoma is that its symptoms are notoriously subtle and difficult to identify early on. In most cases, glaucoma causes no pain and no changes in vision in these early stages, earning it the nickname “the silent thief of sight.” Without prompt treatment, peripheral vision starts to decline over time, gradually narrowing your visual field.
Early detection helps spot subtle changes inside your eye and in your optic nerve, long before you notice any loss of vision. By “catching” glaucoma early, we can provide treatment to help prevent permanent vision loss and protect your eye health.
It’s important to note that while the most common type of glaucoma — open-angle glaucoma — typically causes no noticeable symptoms initially, a less common type — angle closure glaucoma — can cause symptoms such as headache, redness, eye pain, and visual symptoms like halos around lights. Other serious vision issues can cause similar symptoms. If you notice these symptoms, schedule a visit with our team right away.
Having regular eye exams is the most effective way to preserve your vision. During your exam, our team measures your eye pressure, evaluates the optic nerve, assesses your peripheral vision, and performs specialized tests to detect changes long before you would notice them.
If we notice changes early, it also means the treatments we recommend can be simpler and more effective — many people with early-stage glaucoma benefit from simple eye drops to help lower pressure. And, of course, early treatment also minimizes damage to the optic nerve, supporting healthy vision in the future.
Remember: With glaucoma, by the time you notice symptoms, nerve damage has already happened — and it’s irreversible. If it’s been some time since your last eye exam or if you notice any changes in your vision, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Long Island Ophthalmic Concepts in Bellmore and Great Neck, New York, today.
