Glaucoma – Eye Care – Ballymena
World Glaucoma Week
World Glaucoma week runs from March 12th -18th. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause progressive damage of the optic nerve at the point where it leaves the eye to carry visual information to the brain. Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide. It is estimated that 4.5million people globally are blind due to glaucoma.
There are several types of glaucoma. Some forms of glaucoma may occur at birth (“congenital”) or during infancy and childhood (“juvenile”); in most cases however, glaucoma appears after the 4th decade of life, and its frequency increases with age. There is no clearly established difference in glaucoma incidence between men and women.
If left untreated, most types of glaucoma progress towards gradually worsening vision and may lead to blindness. There are no symptoms or warning signs you would notice. Once developed, visual damage is mostly irreversible, and this has led to glaucoma being described as the “silent blinding disease” or the “sneak thief of sight”. This is why it is vital for you have regular eye test so your optician can look for early changes in your eyes.
To find out more about glaucoma click here
