Glaucoma is one of those eye conditions you have likely heard about but aren’t all that familiar with—unless, of course, it is affecting you or a loved one.
When you visit your eye doctor for a routine eye exam, chances are they will test your eye pressure to make sure levels are normal, since too much eye pressure is a common warning sign of the onset of glaucoma. If results indicate high pressure in the eye, your doctor may conduct further tests to examine the condition of your optic nerve or evaluate your eyes’ drainage structures for improper function.
Should your ophthalmologist find that you are in the early stages of glaucoma, they will begin treatment to help manage your glaucoma and slow or even stop it from progressing.
If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with glaucoma, you probably have a lot of questions about what causes it, how severe it can be, and how to prevent or treat it.
This article addresses all your questions, providing informative details and helping you better understand this common yet serious eye condition.
Is Glaucoma Hereditary?
Yes, glaucoma can be a hereditary issue for some patients. If glaucoma runs in your family, it can put you at a higher risk of developing it yourself.
Technically, anyone, regardless of their family history or genetic makeup, could eventually develop glaucoma. However, when glaucoma runs in a family, those individuals are up to nine times more likely to develop it.
There can also be a generic issue where a gene mutation or a generic error causes glaucoma to develop. This cause is not always tied to family history, but it can be.
Are There Other Risk Factors for Glaucoma?
Hereditary traits and genetic makeup are not the only risk factors for the development of glaucoma. There are other factors as well, including:
Age – People 55 years and older have an increased likelihood of developing glaucoma due to age-related wear and tear of the eyes and their structures.
Diet – Diets that consist of excessive amounts of added sugar, caffeine, saturated fats, trans fats, alcohol, and other harmful ingredients have been known to play an indirect part in the development of glaucoma. Poor diet can lead to obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and other health conditions that increase the likelihood of developing glaucoma.
Eye Injury – Trauma to the eye can damage the structures that help move fluid through the eye properly. When this process is disrupted and fluid is not able to filter out of the eye correctly, you can experience increased eye pressure, which can lead to glaucoma.
Health Conditions – Your overall health can play a big part in the development of glaucoma. Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, and other conditions can increase a patient’s likelihood of developing glaucoma.
Obesity – Similar to diet, obesity is not necessarily a direct risk factor for the development of glaucoma, but it can be an indirect issue. For some people, excessive weight is a side effect of a poor diet and/or a sedentary lifestyle, which can play a part in the development of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or other health conditions. Combined, these issues can significantly increase a patient’s risk of developing glaucoma.
Race – People of certain ethnicities, especially those of African, Asian, or Hispanic descent, are more genetically inclined to develop glaucoma. In fact, glaucoma is the number one cause of blindness among African people and those of African descent.
Sedentary Lifestyle – Like a poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to the possibility of developing glaucoma. Activity and body movement help keep parts of the body strong and functioning well. Plus, regular exercise helps manage weight and reduces the likelihood of developing health conditions like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. If the body does not get the exercise it needs, it could lead to the development of certain health conditions over time that could ultimately lead to the development of glaucoma.
Smoking – Tobacco use, especially smoking, is harmful to the body in so many ways. It is a major risk factor for heart disease and heart-affecting conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. If developed, these conditions can ultimately cause a patient to develop glaucoma.
How Does Glaucoma Lead to Vision Loss?
Glaucoma is caused when too much internal eye pressure pushes against the optic nerve.
Eye pressure is caused when the aqueous humor, or the fluid that carries nutrients throughout the eye, is not able to flow through the eye and drain properly. There are outflow pathways that can become damaged, preventing fluid from exiting the eye. With nowhere to go, the fluid will essentially collect in the eye and push against the surrounding structures, including the optic nerve.
As the optic nerve becomes more damaged because of the pressure, the patient’s vision becomes more limited. If untreated, the nerve can become so damaged that the patient suffers total vision loss.
Can Glaucoma Be Prevented or Treated?
Yes, to an extent.
The best form of prevention for glaucoma is to:
- Eat well
- Exercise regularly
- Manage weight
- Treat or manage health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure that increase your risk of developing glaucoma
- Avoid or quit smoking
- Avoid excessive alcohol consumption
The healthier you are overall, the lower your risk is of developing glaucoma.
However, other factors cannot be helped, such as your age, race, or family history.
To best protect yourself against glaucoma, schedule regular annual visits with your eye doctor. Glaucoma does not show warning signs in its early stages, and it is not something a patient can feel or sense until they begin losing their vision. But with regular eye exams, your doctor will monitor your eye pressure and take action as soon as they notice an increase.
There is no treatment to restore eyesight once damage to the optic nerve has occurred. But the sooner glaucoma is detected and treated, the more likely you are to save your eyesight and prevent the disease from worsening. If development cannot be stopped entirely, early intervention can still slow progression down, preserving your eyesight and prolonging your ability to see.
Glaucoma is a condition the doctors at Vision Eye Group take very seriously.
Your eye health and the quality of your eyesight matter. If glaucoma is threatening your vision, rely on the ophthalmologists at Vision Eye Group for the best in glaucoma care and treatment. Even if you don’t think glaucoma is affecting you, let our team provide the eye exams you need to know for sure.
Schedule an appointment with our team today.
Call 478-744-1710 to schedule your appointment.
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