What is your least favourite part of a routine eye examination? Many people would say it is the puff of air, which measures eye pressure to screen for glaucoma.
Screening
Glaucoma is a condition whereby the optic nerve is damaged. Glaucoma screening is more than a puff of air or alternative methods to measure eye pressure. Optometrists are trained to identify other risk factors such as family history, high blood pressure, and they assess the appearance of the optic disc as well as your visual fields. Diagnosis is a combination of many factors, including monitoring progression.
Treatment
Early detection and treatment of glaucoma improves visual outcomes. Glaucoma UK has a website with information about glaucoma, including common treatments:
Can I go blind with glaucoma?
In most people with glaucoma, vision can be preserved with appropriate treatment. Some people never experience any symptoms. Others experience mild symptoms. In a number of people, their vision changes gradually over a long period of time and a small proportion goes on to meet the criteria for certification as ‘sight impaired’ or ‘severely sight impaired’. In rare cases of acute glaucoma, people can loose vision in a shorter period of time.
What are the visual problems in glaucoma?
Glaucoma can lead to reduced overall vision and reduced contrast sensitivity. Most people develop visual field loss, which can be mild or more severe. In extreme cases, patients develop tunnel vision. Everyday tasks become more challenging, such as fluent reading, mobility and orientation, dark adaptation and face recognition.
A Low Vision assessment is for those who are keen to receive support and practical advice to cope with these visual challenges.
