Glaucoma can make eyes sensitive to light and glare. Sunglasses are an easy solution that makes life more comfortable when outdoors, while also providing critical protection from the sun's damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays.
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.
One of the biggest side effects of glaucoma-related photophobia is glare sensitivity that can be worsened by sunlight as well as fluorescents, LED or other artificial light. This makes it difficult for patients to perform normal activities of living such as driving at night and going outside.
TheraSpecs indoor glaucoma glasses and outdoor glaucoma sunglasses are a natural source of relief for light sensitivity. The TheraSpecs tint—which has been proven effective for other eye-related conditions (such as blepharospasm)—blocks the part of light that can be most painful for a person with glaucoma.
Glaucoma – Yellow or gray/green will aid in glare control. Yellow or green will offer general comfort for your eyes while outdoors. Yellow, amber, and orange will enhance contrast for day to day activities.
Many patients with glaucoma suffer from reduced contrast and difficulty adjusting between light and dark settings. Using sunglasses or transition lenses in bright conditions can sometimes help with these adjustments.
Prism lenses are commonly prescribed for diplopia and other binocular vision conditions. Another interesting application of prism lenses is to improve peripheral visual field loss in patients with advanced glaucoma.
8 Loss of vision in glaucoma has been traditionally described as “tunnel vision” or as if “looking through a straw” (courtesy: National Eye Institute and National Institutes of Health). Loss of peripheral vision for 1 eye indicates diminished vision toward the edges of the VF of that eye (Figures 2A and 2B).
Any type of activity that positions your head lower than your heart for prolonged periods of time should be avoided, as it could lead to a spike in intraocular pressure. This includes inverted yoga positions (and headstands) or using inversion tables.
Prescription eye drops can stop glaucoma from progressing. Your eye care specialist will recommend how often to return for follow-up exams. Medicare covers a glaucoma test once a year for people in high-risk groups.
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.
Scientists aren't sure what causes the most common types of glaucoma, but many people with glaucoma have high eye pressure — and treatments that lower eye pressure help to slow the disease.
Even with treatment, 15% to 20% of patients still become blind in at least one eye over time. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is aware that significantly reduced vision can make work difficult. Anyone experiencing severe vision loss from glaucoma can qualify for disability benefits.
That's the good news from a new UCLA study, which found a daily cup of hot tea may reduce your risk by up to 74 percent of developing glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide.
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.
One of the major risk factors is eye pressure. An abnormality in the eye's drainage system can cause fluid to build up, leading to excessive pressure that causes damage to the optic nerve.
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.
The new surgical treatments for glaucoma are called Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgeries (MIGS). These are surgical procedures that are most often combined with cataract surgery to lower the intraocular pressure with a high safety profile and modest efficacy.
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.
Because of this fogging, people with glaucoma recognize fewer letters in one glance. They must therefore look at text more times to make their way through a passage. The result is slower reading and particular difficulty with longer words. Second, reading also brings in one's mid-peripheral vision.