About 10 percent of total blindness in Americans is caused by glaucoma and a majority of people affected by this disease are seniors above the age of 65. The American Academy of Family Physicians has reported that about 75 percent of people who are legally blind because of glaucoma are seniors. However, the Glaucoma Research Foundation believes that half of the people with glaucoma are yet to be diagnosed.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a cluster of diseases that occur when your optic nerve is damaged. It can result in irreversible loss of vision and cause total blindness. There is a buildup pressure inside the eye that can damage the optic nerve, which rests at the back of your eyeball.

Glaucoma tends to run in the family and often affect people above the age of 60. However, anyone can get glaucoma.
Different Types of Glaucoma

There are several types of glaucoma. Some of them are:

  • Normal-Tension Glaucoma

    It is challenging to determine this type of glaucoma as the intraocular pressure is within the normal pressure. However, the patients can still experience nerve damage which can, in turn, impact their vision. This type of glaucoma does not show any symptoms until there has been significant damage to the nerve.

  • Open-Angle Glaucoma

    This is the most common type of glaucoma that takes up 90% of glaucoma cases. It results in painless and slow loss of peripheral vision. Approximately 1% of Americans suffer from Open-angle glaucoma.

  • Angle-Closure Glaucoma

    It is defined as a situation when the angle where the iris and cornea meet is completely closed off. This does not allow the fluid to pass and thus cause an immediate and intense buildup of fluid and pressure in the eye. This needs to be addressed immediately as the vision loss can be rapid.

    • Risk Factors For Glaucoma

    While everyone is at risk for glaucoma, some people are more prone to acquire this disease than others. Here are certain groups that are at high risk.

    • People of African descent
    • People over the age of 60
    • Family history increases risk four to nine times
    • Hispanics in the older age group
    • Eye injuries
    • People suffering from hypertension
    • Central corneal thickness less than 0.5mm
    • High myopia patients

    How Can Glaucoma Affect Health?

    Apart from vision loss, glaucoma can directly or indirectly affect your overall health. There are several health issues that can stem from a loss of vision, including:

    • Increased risk of falls
    • Increased risk of depression
    • Inability to complete activities of daily living

    What Seniors Can Do To Treat Glaucoma

    While there is no cure for glaucoma, medications and surgery can help prevent further vision loss. Thus, it is important to seek immediate medical advice as soon as possible. Over time, some medications may stop working or cause negative side effects. Thus, it is essential to visit a physician who can closely monitor your disease and the medications.

    If it is not possible to travel to see a doctor, you can opt for a doctor at home service. Utah Doctors At Home offer comprehensive medical care services in the comfort of patient’s home. To learn more about the services, call 385-247-0050 today!