Although these glasses and contacts are not available now, it is important that patients with glaucoma have proper eyewear. Use of glasses can provide protection for patients who may only have one functional eye. In these cases, polycarbonate lenses can offer more protection.
Sunglasses are essential for everyone. But if you have glaucoma, they have added benefits. Sunglasses can slow the progression of your symptoms, help you see more clearly, and ease discomfort from light sensitivity. Talk to your optometrist or ophthalmologist to choose the right sunglasses for you.
Although many glaucoma patients will be satisfied with spectacles or contact lenses, a lot of them wish for the clearer visual acuity that only surgical intervention can achieve. Moreover, certain occupations (eg, airline pilot) require better visual acuity than is possible with glasses or contact lenses in some cases.
Maintaining a healthy weight, controlling your blood pressure, being physically active, and avoiding smoking will help you avoid vision loss from glaucoma. These healthy behaviors will also help prevent type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions.
Absolutely. The aim of treating patients with glaucoma is for them to be able to maintain their quality of life and live as normally as possible. Patients with glaucoma have a normal life expectancy and, with treatment, can carry out activities as they did before diagnosis.
On an average, untreated Glaucoma takes around 10-15 years to advance from early damage to total blindness. With an IOP (Intraocular Pressure) of 21-25 mmHg it takes 15 yrs to progress, an IOP of 25-30 mmHg around seven years and pressure more than 30 mmHg takes three years.
Without treatment, glaucoma will eventually cause blindness. Even with treatment, about 15 percent of the time glaucoma can lead to blindness in at least one eye over a period of 20 years.
Many people assume that 'using your eyes' can worsen your glaucoma. Reading, watching TV or using your phone or computer does not have any impact on your glaucoma.
Glare, Night Driving, and Low Contrast
However, even after cataracts have been removed, people with glaucoma may still have the same driving difficulties at night, or dusk, or in bright sunlight.
High trans fats have been proven to cause damage to the optic nerve. Time to cut out fried foods, baked goods and any product with an ingredient list that includes hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Saturated foods that include red meat, beef, lard, shortening and oils can also worsen glaucoma.
Diets high in fruits such as have been shown to lower the risk of glaucoma development. The most discussed benefit is through antioxidants. As oxidative stress is associated with optic nerve injury, fruits high in antioxidants, such as pomegranate, acai berries, cranberries offer the most neuroprotection.
If undetected and untreated, glaucoma first causes peripheral vision loss and eventually can lead to blindness. By the time you notice vision loss from glaucoma, it's too late.
stages: stage 0 (normal visual field), stage I (early), stage II (moderate), stage III (advanced), stage IV (severe), and stage V (end-stage).
Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness in the U.S. It most often occurs in people over age 40, although an infant (congenital) form of glaucoma exists.
Glaucoma can cause blindness if it is left untreated. And unfortunately approximately 10% of people with glaucoma who receive proper treatment still experience loss of vision.
Disk hemorrhages, nerve fiber layer defects, and color vision abnormalities are early signs of damage, supporting the conclusion that damage is present before field loss. A number of other methods await further testing to determine their effectiveness.
While people living with glaucoma may have to make adjustments, you don't have to limit your life because of glaucoma. Most people can live an active and fulfilling life. However, living with glaucoma may require increased visits to your eye care team and adherence to medications.
Defining advanced glaucoma
This Glaucoma Staging Codes (GSC) categorisation considers glaucoma to be advanced if there is evidence of glaucomatous optic disc and visual field (VF) loss in both upper and lower hemifields and/or a defect encroaching within 5° of fixation.
While there's no cure for glaucoma, the earlier it's diagnosed, the better the outcome. In the early stages, medication can often control glaucoma by facilitating the drainage of excess eye fluid from the eye. Eventually, however, surgery may be necessary.